Their Purpose
by AbovetheCloudsandDreaming
Summary: Following the traumatic events of the winter chapter, Ellie and Joel begin to truly rationalize their relationship as they help each other deal with their demons on the way to Salt Lake City. Starts immediately after the restaurant scene where Ellie kills David.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi, thank you for clicking on my story and taking the time to read it. I am a 26 year old software engineer and as such this not the type of "writing" that I normally do. However, The Last of Us left such an impression on me I couldn't stop thinking about it and thus wanted to write about it. I haven't done any creative writing since... I dunno, probably ninth grade. I've actually really enjoyed writing this, as it exercises a completely different part of my brain than I'm used to. I have tried my best to keep Ellie and Joel in character, however I noticed a change in the "chemistry" between the two in the final chapter of the game and as such, this story is how I imagined what could have transpired to cause such alterations leading up to Salt Lake.**

**I decided to start this right after the Winter chapter ends because in my opinion the entire chapter was extremely powerful and emotional. I felt like it really took Ellie and Joel's relationship to the next level and given the intensity, I wanted to start here. Please excuse me for the first few chapters are longer than I anticipated and a bit slower, but I really wanted to focus on the immediate events following the David scene and how it changes Ellie and Joel. For now, I have posted the first four chapters and depending on feedback I may write more, having the story end just outside the city limits of Salt Lake. I'm hoping for this to be the only AN, although I may leave one at the end. As always, I appreciate constructive criticism and I hope you enjoy this. Thank you!**

**Legal stuff: I do not take credit for any of the characters or content relating to The Last of Us as it is 100% the property of Naughty Dog.**

* * *

The fire continued to rage within the restaurant. Getting out was imperative, as sooner rather than later the entire building would be reduced to ash. The building and the monster lying on the floor with a machete buried deep into its skull would soon be completely wiped from existence, vanquished by the flames. But not to her. Not to him. This entire experience would stay with them, they both knew it.

Joel wrapped his right arm around Ellie as they approached the front door to finally make their exit from the inferno that was the restaurant. Ellie, still shaken up from the traumatic event just minutes before, clung to his side with her head pressed against his torso. Joel hastily peered out the window to determine if it was safe to simply stumble out the front door. For all he knew there could still be remaining cannibals from David's group waiting outside who saw him enter.

"Alright, we're clear," Joel said quietly.

Joel pushed the door open and stepped out into the biting cold. The sun was beginning its slow descent into the western horizon and the temperature had dropped significantly. The wind was howling and both of them could immediately feel the cold going to work on their sore, blood caked hands.

"Fuck. We've got to get back. We aint gonna make it out here in this," Joel said, the words struggling to leave his lips as he battled the cold.

Ellie hadn't said a word yet, completely engrossed in her thoughts while her mind raced about. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. She's witnessed the actions Joel and her performed in order to survive, actions that were only permissible because of the current state of the broken world they now lived in, but this shook her to her very core.

"Ellie! C'mon, stay with me... I'm gettin' us outta here," Joel said, concern palpable in his voice.

"Ack... yeah, yeah I'm here," she responded slowly as she winced in pain.

Her response relieved him. The sound of her voice provided him with the slightest bit of warmth, however he could sense an enormous amount of pain and discomfort behind her barely audible words.

She clung to him even harder. She clenched her fingers and attempted to form a fist as she dug them deeper into his torso. The harder she grabbed, the closer to him she felt. Joel noticed the tightening of her grasp, it was even a bit painful as she tugged near the healing puncture wound that incapacitated him for the better part of a month. The skin around the stitches still felt raw and the biting cold did not help. Despite the discomfort, he dared not protest and only tried to bring her closer to shield her from the wind that sliced through their veins.

The adrenaline, the most pure and natural of painkillers, was beginning to wear off. With the addition of the howling wind and freezing temperature, every bump, bruise, cut and broken bone began to hurt that much more.

Ellie collapsed to the ground, keeled over grasping her left side.

"Aahh, fuck!" she yelped.

David, that sorry excuse of a human being had broken one of her ribs during the struggle. She only ever broke a few fingers during her time at the military school in Boston, nothing like a rib. The pain was unlike any other. The once simple act of breathing became labored.

"Ellie!" Joel clamored as he immediately stopped, feeling the dead weight on his side.

"Joel - I... I can't fucking walk," Ellie whimpered.

"It's okay, I gotcha, I gotcha," Joel paternally responded.

He bent down to pick her up, careful not to aggravate her left side. He noticed her rubbing her ribs and wincing each time she touched them. He tucked one arm under her legs and placed the other beneath her back as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Joel remained steadfast in his mission to get back to the house with the basement, even if it meant staying in this town that Ellie now considered the innermost ring of hell. It was the only place either of them knew and at the very least would provide some warmth and a much needed reprieve from the elements.

Ellie's gaze never left Joel's face. She stared up at him as the mere sight of his eyes brought her comfort. She watched each breath he took leave his mouth and tried to sync her breathing with his. Her mind continued to dance about and she thought what would have happened if he somehow died before finding her. What if David's group found him lying helpless in that basement recovering from his wound? What if he was dead? What if, he _didn't_ come back for _her_? That thought itself, more than the cold, sent a shiver down her spine and her eyes began to swell with tears.

Joel briefly glanced down and noticed Ellie intensely staring at him. Her gaze so powerful, it was slightly intimidating and forced his eyes to look away. He thought about Sarah, carrying her through the streets of Austin at the start of the outbreak. The image of Sarah glaring up at him for safety and comfort would haunt him for the rest of his life. The image of her lifeless body, with nothing but empty eyes gazing towards the sky was forever engraved in his mind. He would never forget, that in the end, _he failed her_.

Their eyes finally met. Joel looked down at Ellie and noticed her eyes begin to crystallize with tears. Acknowledging her gaze with his seemed to be the final straw as tears then strolled down her cut and blood stained cheeks.

Joel's pace slowed and he witnessed something he had yet to see in Ellie. Complete, unabated fear and vulnerability. He couldn't even begin to rationalize what happened to her.

"She's alive. She's David's newest pet!" the voice of the man he interrogated earlier spoke in is head. He didn't want to think about what that meant, but deep down he knew, despite his every effort to erase the thought.

Rage began to boil deep in his gut. He felt guilty and almost personally responsible for letting this happen, even though he knew it was a ridiculous thought. This feisty, spunky, fourteen year old little girl, who had shown more strength and bravery than most men he knew in his lifetime, was finally broken. She saved his life. She nursed him back to health from the brink of death. She fired a bullet point blank into the head of another human being to save him. Despite all the things she had done, she still retained a child-like wonder and fire. Had that fire finally burnt out? He began to think about what would have happened had she not killed David herself and he hadn't showed up at that moment. What if she didn't make it? What if, he entered that blazing restaurant to find her little frame lying lifeless on the ground? That thought itself, more than the cold, sent a shiver down his spine and he struggled to hold back the building of tears behind his eyes.

_My little girl. How could this happen to my little girl?_

The words "my little girl" exited his mind as fast as they had entered. The mere fact those three words arose made him long for Sarah.

_I will not fail you_, he thought. He wasn't entirely sure if he was internally speaking to Sarah or Ellie and a strong sense of guilt washed over him as he tried to collect himself.

Joel finally looked up, ready to continue trudging through the bone chilling wind and snow. He could make out the house with the basement just ahead. They were close.

"Shit," he said.

* * *

"Wha - What now?" Ellie softly replied with concern.

"Look, straight ahead."

For the first time since Joel picked her up, Ellie let her gaze leave his face and she peered down the street.

"Ahh fuck... We - We're so close," she muttered quietly as she buried her face into his shoulder.

Two more of David's men stood at the entrance to the house. In all likelihood they had no idea that the majority of their group and leader were now dead.

The nearest one had what appeared to be a rifle flung over his shoulder while the other leaned up against the wall, arms crossed with a pistol holstered at his side. The two men appeared to be talking to each other. A faint laugh was heard from the nearest one as they kept each other occupied with conversation and jokes to pass the time and ease the pain of the cold.

Still holding Ellie, Joel crouched down and quietly made his way behind an old abandoned car about twenty feet in front of him.

"Ellie - I'm gonna set ya down alright?"

"Yeah."

He gently set her down, safely hidden from the line of sight of the two men. Ellie leaned her back against the rear wheel of the car, turning her head towards Joel.

"What're ya thinkin?" Ellie asked.

"Not sure yet. But we gotta be fast."

The cold was beginning to take its toll on both of them. The sweat from the previous events began to freeze on their foreheads. Toes and fingers were slowly losing feeling as the wind seemed to continually creep deeper into their veins, slowly consuming them until death. They had to get back inside.

Joel looked in his pack and found a menial amount of supplies. He used so many earlier when fighting his way to Ellie that he hardly had anything left. He found a few bandages and five 9mm bullets for his pistol, but he knew that wasn't going to cut it at this distance, especially with the wind.

He reached deep into his pockets and felt a long cold metal object at the tips of his fingers. His eyes lit up. He quickly ripped his hand out of his left pocket and heaved a sigh, one part relief, one part agony. One bullet for his hunting rifle.

"Well... I uhh... I got one I left," he said.

"Better make it count," Ellie replied, her mouth almost giving way to a slight smile.

"No doubt 'bout that," Joel acknowledged.

Joel slid the bullet into place, pulled the lever back and cocked his rifle. He knelt down just behind the front wheel well of the car and brought the butt of the rifle to his shoulder. Peering through the scope, he brought the nearest lookout into sight and lined up his head. In most circumstances, this shot would have been old-hat. But this was different. The cold on his fingers and the blustering wind did not make this easy. However, mentally, Joel faced a much bigger obstacle. It was the magnitude of this shot. He had one bullet, he had to land it. He had to make it count. A hit, and Ellie gets that much closer to a warm place to recuperate.

Joel slowly lurched his finger toward the trigger. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath in an attempt to relax his muscles to prevent any shivering that would throw off his aim. He snapped his eyes open.

"Fuck you," he spat. He pulled the trigger.

* * *

The sound of the rifle crackled down the street as it pierced through the howling wind. Joel poured every ounce of built up rage and anger he had into that one bullet. Time seemed to slow down, it felt like an eternity as he waited for the bullet to reach its destination. It was only a mere second, but in the heat of the moment it felt far too long. Then it happened.

The man's head smashed sideways as the bullet cored its way through the side of his skull. His body fell limp to the ground.

Ellie didn't even have to ask. She knew Joel hit pay dirt.

The other lookout jumped straight up in the air in shock and immediately pulled out his pistol. He frantically glanced around for several seconds before finally processing what just took place. He stared at his partner's lifeless body in the snow, looked up then ran behind the corner of the house in a panic. Joel could see him peeking around the corner trying to spot his attackers but knew the man had no clue as to where they were.

"And the other one?" Ellie asked.

"Hidin'... Behind the house."

"Did he see us?"

"I reckon' he didn't. He aint got a clue," Joel responded.

Despite being out of bullets, Joel was still peering through the scope of his rifle. He would be able to see the bastard should he move while contemplating his next step.

A few seconds passed and Joel noticed a pistol get thrown to the ground. The man walked around the corner with his hands up and began to yell loudly in each direction.

"It's not worth it!... Just - Just let me go, I will leave you be! ... Fuck it!" He turned up the street, away from the house, and sprinted away fearing for his life. Joel knew he would find no help, the rest of those cannibalistic bastards were dead and without their leader. Part of Joel wanted to chase after him and finish the job, but getting Ellie to safety was his primary concern.

Joel heaved a sigh of relief.

"Aight, we're good," he said.

"Did that fucker just run off? I... I guess we still got some luck left," Ellie said.

Joel gave a slight snicker and a nod in agreement.

"C'mere, I gotcha," Joel said as he walked over to Ellie to scoop her back up.

Ellie felt warmer, more comfortable in Joel's arms and the pain in her ribs seemed to dwindle ever so slightly.

Joel could feel the weight of Ellie's head resting against his chest. He felt warmer and more comfortable knowing she was close and safe.


	2. Chapter 2

Joel carefully opened the door and peeked inside, paranoid there could be more of David's gang lurking about. The two lookouts ransacked the house before standing guard as everything inside was a mess. They even pulled down the bookshelves and dressers that were blocking the staircase to the upstairs. Joel glanced to the garage as he walked by and noticed they tipped over all of the shelves and the metal tub full of water, the entire garage floor was soaked. Joel's only reasoning behind their logic was they wanted to destroy all supplies in the house they couldn't take with them. He slowly made his way down the basement steps making sure to not cause any more discomfort to Ellie in the process.

There it was. The mattress he spent weeks lying on while recovering. Ellie, alone, kept them alive during that entire period. Now it was his turn and he was not going to fail her.

He gently laid her on the mattress.

"Agh..." Ellie cried out in pain.

"Easy, easy kiddo. We're safe now. Let's get you comfortable, lie down," Joel said with care in his voice.

Ellie lied back, easing her head on the rolled up towel that Joel had been using as a pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She could already feel blood rushing to her fingers and toes again. It was a blessing to be out of the cruel and cold winter. That word, winter, she hated it.

Joel carefully lifted up the bottom of Ellie's shirt to inspect the injuries she sustained. Ellie looked down at him, nervous from the physical contact given her recent horror with David. She tried to place her hand where Joel's was in a shy attempt to stop him.

"Ellie - ... It's just me. We gotta make sure you're okay," Joel said looking into her eyes.

Ellie's reaction was purely defensive and out of instinct. Rightfully so, but she realized it was just Joel. Joel would never harm her and she knew it. She figured that out back in Boston.

"Alright," she said sheepishly. She had never let herself be so vulnerable around him. Being in this position was foreign to Ellie since she had always been so strong and independent.

A small part of her actually felt relieved she could be vulnerable for once and still feel safe. After all, she had seen Joel in his most vulnerable state following his brush with death. The feeling was strange nonetheless and only Joel, just now, had ever made her feel this way.

"Aight, you uhh... got a nasty bruise there. Wouldn't be surprised if ya broke a rib," Joel said.

"Let me see your face... gotta figure out if all that blood is yours or theirs," Joel said with a smirk and wink.

"Mostly theirs... mostly Hah - Agghh fuck man. Laughing hurts," Ellie tried to follow her response with a small laugh but realized that was even too painful given the state of her ribs.

"Sorry... I reckon no more jokes from that book of yours?" Joel quipped.

"Only for awhile..." Ellie said with a hint of sadness.

"Aight, let's see..." Joel said to himself as he gently inspected Ellie's blood covered and cut face.

"Christ Ellie... We gotta get you cleaned up."

Joel decided he would need to wash off the dirt, grease and blood before he could really see the damage done to Ellie. As he lifted his hands away he noticed two dark bruises around her neck.

_That fucking waste of life. _Joel thought to himself as he gritted his teeth in anger.

Joel knew the bruises were from the monster he found Ellie furiously hacking away at back in the restaurant. He knew she was in no shape to discuss the bruises at the time and bringing them up was simply not an option.

"How about you? Those stitches holdin' up?" Ellie asked with concern.

"I'll live," Joel bluntly stated, though he was touched by her concern.

"To the edge of the universe and back. Endure and survive," Ellie said with a bit of a smirk on her face.

Joel could tell she was trying to be strong and not let the previous events get the best of her. Although he found her resilience admirable, he knew she was troubled despite her best efforts to hide it.

"Heh... yeah kiddo. Endure and survive," Joel said with a muffled laugh.

Joel took a deep breath and locked eyes with Ellie. Each of them looked passed the pain on the surface of the other. At that moment, no words needed to be said but they both knew what they meant to each other, even if neither were ready to admit it. Since Boston, a mutual caring started to form despite their perceived ambivalence towards one another. It simply was a matter of time before both were ready to accept how much they needed each other.

* * *

Joel broke the silence and emphasized what he said earlier. "We've gotta get you cleaned up."

Ellie nodded in agreement. Joel looked pensive, like he was mulling over a plan in his head while he scratched his beard.

"Uhh... Joel, what is it?" Ellie asked, slightly confused.

"Hang on... I've got an idea."

Joel rose to his feet from his kneeling posture and as he turned around he felt the cold touch of a small hand tug on his. He turned back around only to see Ellie, with her stray lock of auburn hair dangling to the right of her eye, looking up at him with a look of worry.

"Don't be long," Ellie quietly said.

Joel could sense Ellie was not comfortable being away from him, especially at this very moment. He also realized the thought of being away from her actually made him uncomfortable. They had spent the better part of seven months together, tied at the hip, trekking across the country from Boston struggling to survive. Hunters, cannibals and Infected all made attempts to cut their journey short but they kept fighting. The bond which naturally formed between them was strong and underneath it all was an even stronger sense of co-dependence.

"I won't. I promise." Joel bent down to brush the stray piece of hair back behind her ear. "Just... lie back and relax."

Ellie obliged, closed her eyes and attempted to relax her muscles which were still extremely tense and shivering. The blanket helped, but the basement was still ice cold. At least there was no wind.

Half way up the steps Joel took a second to really think about what that little girl went through to keep both of them alive. A fourteen year old girl, five foot three and probably weighing no more than ninety pounds, hunted in the woods with a bow and arrow to catch local game. She found a safe place to hide, sheltered from the wind and not easily found. Most of all, this little girl managed to do all of these things while keeping him alive and even got him medicine. She fought through the past two hours and came out the other side, although not entirely unscathed, something he was sure of. A combination of pride and sadness filled him.

Quickly chasing the sense of pride was another strong wave of guilt. Sarah. He felt he was betraying his one true daughter with merely his thoughts.

Joel collected himself and continued up the steps, intent on following through with his idea for Ellie.

* * *

Ellie did not want Joel to leave, even for a few minutes. Joel's presence was calming and as she began to finally come down from the stress of the previous two hours, she realized how damaged and hurt she felt. The trauma from the experience was finally settling in and she felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and despair consume her. Ellie's mind began to circle down a dark hole, remembering her experience with that monster, David, in the restaurant.

"You can try beggin'..." she heard him say. Tears began to well up in Ellie's emerald eyes.

She could still feel his hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing tight enough she thought her head was going to pop.

She slowly reached her right hand up to her neck and felt the bruises, that now, more than words, demonstrated the torture she endured. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she closed her eyes while letting out a quiet but intense sob.

Ellie took a deep breath and began whispering to herself in attempt to calm down. "Phhewww... Okay Ellie. You're okay, you're okay. You're safe now. That fucking piece of shit is dead. He's fucking dead."

She brought her right sleeve up to wipe away the tears from her eyes and tried to force her mind in another direction. She thought of Joel and tried to concentrate on the sound of his footsteps upstairs. She had no idea what he was doing but the knowledge that he was near calmed her and the tears slowly subsided.

Ellie stared up at the ceiling, always listening for the sound of Joel's next step against the wood floor above her. She thought back on all the relationships she had formed over her short life and the thought of her best friend, Riley, brought a smile to her face along with a sense of guilt. Ellie always felt guilty when it came to her immunity while Riley perished from the infection. She tried to squash the thought away and focused her attention back on Joel's footsteps upstairs.

She knew deep down that over the past seven months she had begun to view Joel as a father despite her attempts to dismiss the feeling. She remembered the mutual disdain that appeared on the surface for one another when they first met. But she also remembered how quickly she clung to him and how difficult that was for her to express. She became attached to him before they even left Massachusetts whether she wanted to admit it or not. Now, the idea of him being gone for good broke her heart. Those feelings made her nervous. Nervous because she was afraid of becoming attached to anyone for too long, knowing that the cruel world she lived in did not have a single care for anything special. Even something as special as _love_.

The words "father" and "dad" had been entirely meaningless to her up until a few months ago. She knew about Sarah but was afraid to infringe on that relationship as that was sacred to Joel. She knew Sarah's death affected Joel so deeply, that his heart had turned to ice and he viewed children only as a burden and a nuisance. Joel had become nothing more than a calculating and cold blooded killer in order to survive the harsh reality that was now planet earth. Something was slightly different, though. Ellie thought back to the restaurant, when Joel found her.

She remembered when Joel grabbed her and pulled her into his arms to comfort her. She remembered feeling safe in the confines of his protection as she tried to bring every part of herself closer to him. Her train of thoughts came to a screeching halt when she was reminded of these two words:

_Baby girl._

Joel had never referred to her that way. Ellie curiously wondered if that was Joel's term of endearment for Sarah. She wondered if he merely used the term because of the heat of the moment, or if it was a slip of the tongue as a drop of truth escaped his lips from a gut reaction. A gut reaction he could not help from happening.

Was he starting to view her as a daughter? The thought provided a touch of warmth to Ellie but she assumed her mind was simply playing tricks on her due to stress.

She brought herself out of her pensive state and strained to hear Joel's next step against the wood floor. The house was silent and the room was much darker than before as the sun was quickly disappearing. Her worst fear began to creep its way to the front of her mind.

"Joel!" Ellie yelled, straining her ribs in the process.

Nothing. She only heard the howl of the wind outside.

* * *

Joel rummaged through the house trying to find anything he could use to start a small fire with. Upstairs he found a bunch of old magazines, newspapers as well as some linens which included two old towels, another blanket and a couple of washcloths. He broke off a piece of wood from one of the bookshelves, set his findings down, grabbed one of the pots still sitting on the stove and went outside through the front door.

"Fuckin' a," Joel spat to himself as he stepped outside.

The sun was setting, the temperature dropped even more and the wind refused to quit. He was freezing and he felt a throbbing ache near his stitched up puncture wound now that his body had completely come down from the earlier adrenaline high. He slowly bent down and began shoveling clumps of snow into the pot with this hands. The touch of snow left a burning sensation on his hands it was so cold. He set the pot down after a few scoops of snow to cover his hands with the end of his sleeves. The sleeves helped, but only marginally.

Once the pot was full he rose to his feet, turned around and walked towards the front door of the house. A fleeting thought ran through his mind as he realized what he was doing for Ellie. A mere seven months ago he would of scoffed at his current idea and continued only thinking about his own survival. He thought he was feeling something for the first time in about twenty years, but further thinking revealed he actually started to care for Ellie before they even reached Bill's town. He knew it was true, he just couldn't bring himself to admit it yet. The image of Sarah shot to the front of his mind and he glanced down at the broken watch on his left wrist. He shook his head, exhaled and whispered to himself.

"C'mon Joel... get your shit together."

Holding the pot full of snow under his left arm, he closed the door with his right. After locking the knob and dead bolt, he knelt down to pick up the other supplies. As he reached forward he heard Ellie's voice from the basement calling his name.

"Shit, Ellie," he spat. A bad feeling climbed its way into his chest and he worried that something went wrong while he was away. He quickly grabbed all the remaining items he could carry and rushed down the basement steps doing his best not to drop the pot full of snow.

Joel reached the bottom of the steps and could barely make out the contents of the room as the last bit of twilight from the evening peered its way through the basement windows. He saw Ellie simply kneeling at the edge of the mattress, wrapped in the blanket, staring directly at him with tears strolling down her face.

He immediately placed the pot on the ground, threw everything else to the side and ran over to Ellie. He knelt to eye level and grabbed both of her shoulders.

"Ellie! - What's wrong? Somethin' happen while I was gone?" Joel said with deep concern in his voice.

She didn't respond and simply stared into his eyes for a few seconds before starting to sob. Ellie grabbed his shirt and dove straight into his arms and buried the side of her face against his chest. Joel was slightly taken a back, but without hesitation he immediately wrapped his arms around her. He began to rub her back hoping it would provide more comfort. He hadn't experienced this in over twenty years. It felt foreign, but oddly no part of him wanted to resist. He did not know what upset her, he wasn't sure if it was the events from earlier finally settling in or something else. It was okay, though, he didn't have to know. He simply felt glad he was there for her. Like she was for him.

* * *

No words were spoken between the two of them for what felt like an eternity as Joel slowly rocked her back and forth waiting for her intense sobs to subside.

Ellie lifted her head and looked up at him while letting out a sniffle.

"What is it kiddo?" he asked paternally.

Seeing her like this was breaking him. He could feel the strain of tears building behind his eyes but tried his hardest to suppress to them.

"Joel - Plea..." The words struggled to make their way from her lips. She was about to say something that would expose her biggest fear. In doing so, she felt a sliver of her strength and independence get eaten away. This would be only the second time in her life she was letting her desire for attachment show.

"Please don't leave me," Ellie murmured, fighting through her tears.

Joel could sense those words were difficult for her to say and understood this level of vulnerability was new to her. He lifted her chin with his index finger, gazed deep into her watering eyes and clenched his throat as he struggled to hold back tears of his own.

"That will never happen... I promise," Joel sternly responded.

_You couldn't get rid of me even if you tried._ He thought to himself.

Ellie dove her face right back into his chest. She was shaking, a combination of the freezing cold basement, her nerves and trauma. Joel clutched her and he could feel every sniffle, whimper and shiver from her little frame and it only made him hold her tighter in an attempt to provide more comfort. He leaned his head over her shoulder.

"Poor baby girl..." Joel whispered to himself.

The words instinctively left his mouth without thinking. Immediately upon saying them he could feel Ellie grip him harder and press herself even closer to him. He realized she heard him, but she stopped shaking and her crying eventually turned into muffled sniffles.

He felt Ellie lift her head and he pulled himself back from over her shoulder. They looked at each other and even cracked the slightest of smiles. Both of them knew those two words forever changed their relationship.

Then a realization hit Joel like a punch to the face. He finally realized how much Ellie needed him. Furthermore, he realized how much he needed her, if not more so. The process of thawing his frozen heart, which began on that first night in Boston when fate brought them together, had come to completion. Something he thought for the past twenty years was impossible.

"I reckon' we still need to get ya cleaned up yeah?" Joel said.

Ellie brought her sleeve to her face and wiped away the remaining tears and nodded.

"It's 'bout time," she quipped.


	3. Chapter 3

Joel stood up and playfully messed with Ellie's hair then picked up the combustibles he fetched from upstairs to start his fire.

Ellie carefully propped herself up against the wall, sitting on the mattress and readjusted the blanket over her legs. The pain in her ribs had lessened, but she remained sore and breathing still felt labored. The intensity of the past few hours, including the previous few minutes, left her feeling emotionally and physically drained and she was glad to curiously watch what Joel was planning to do. She turned her head to face him.

"Like it?" Ellie proudly asked, referring to the basement, which had become their temporary home.

"Hah... I reckon' it's pretty damn good, I must say," Joel responded.

Ellie smiled and felt a sense of pride.

"Even found a place with some non-perishables," Joel continued, pointing to the empty bottles of soda nearby.

He stacked the magazines, newspapers and the wood from the bookshelf in a small pile against the wall beneath one of the windows. He reached over to his pack and rummaged through it for matches. He found some, but only a few were still dry enough to use. He flicked a match against the matchbox and a beautiful bright flame appeared at the tip. He gently laid it underneath a piece of newspaper and the entire pile quickly went aflame. The warmth brought a smile to his face and he looked over to Ellie.

"Aww not fair!" Ellie half jokingly snapped.

"You're choice kiddo. Mattress or the fire. What'll it be?"

Ellie wanted the fire, especially since it meant she would be closer to him.

"Fire... duh!" Ellie said.

Joel let out a snicker. "Aight, can ya walk?"

"I think so now... slowly, it's only a few feet away."

Ellie stood up, being careful not to bother her ribs. She winced as she attempted to straighten her back then shuffled her way next to Joel.

"So... I thought we were gonna clean me up. How the hell is this fire gonna do that?" Ellie pointedly asked.

"You'll see," Joel said as he fetched the pot full of snow.

He set it down next to Ellie and she let out a big laugh despite the sharp pain it sent through her ribs.

"Hahaha - Ack... Joel... what the fuck are you doing with a giant pot of snow?" Ellie asked through a combination of a laugh and a wince in pain.

"I told ya, you'll see," Joel was trying his best to surprise her, although he knew she would figure out his plan regardless.

"Alright, whatever... but you look like a total weirdo with a pot of snow in your hands... just sayin'," Ellie said as she continued to snicker to herself.

"Mmmhm," Joel simply replied.

Ellie's amusement made him smile. He was glad and even a little surprised to see her mood so quickly improve, even if she was putting up a facade.

Joel perused the storage shelves in the basement looking for something to prop the pot up over the fire with. There wasn't anything much of use down there but he managed to find an old metal foot stool.

"I reckon this'll do," he said to himself.

As he walked back to the fire he saw Ellie's eyes widen. She figured it out, she knew what he was doing.

She cracked a big smile and Joel simply smiled back. She was surprised to find him behaving like this. She had only seen one side of him, the angry and cynical middle aged man simply fighting to survive at all costs. Now she was seeing a different a side, a side that had been buried deep in the icy caverns of his heart for twenty years. She was witnessing paternal Joel, not survivalist Joel. He ventured out into that horrid weather and scooped snow with his bare hands simply to heat it over a fire so he could wash her with warm water. The thought of warm water made her nerves tickle with excitement. She hadn't felt warm water in so long she struggled to remember when the last time even was. Her thoughts from earlier, about him possibly viewing her as a daughter, ran through her mind once more but she quickly dismissed them.

Joel carefully placed the stool over the fire, propping the pot on its surface and sat down a couple feet from Ellie. A few minutes of semi-awkward silence went by as they gazed into the flames and relished the warmth that the fire was providing them.

Ellie noticed Joel rubbing his fingers over the broken watch on his left wrist. He was always fiddling with it but she never knew why. The watch was broken, she never understood why he still wore it.

"Joel..." Ellie began to speak.

He didn't respond but he turned his head, acknowledging her attempt at conversation.

"That watch of yours... You ever gonna tell me what the deal is with that thing?"

He turned his head back towards the watch and ran his fingers over the cracked surface then glanced back up at the fire.

"It's broken," he stubbornly responded, knowing that's not what she meant.

"Well duh... that's not what I mea- " Ellie tried to say but was interrupted.

"Would ya look at that, snow already meltin'... Should have warm water in no time," Joel said as he tried to parry her pointed question.

Ellie realized she hit a sore spot and if he wasn't ready to discuss the watch any further she wasn't going to pry.

Joel reached his hand in to test the temperature of the water and smiled. He grabbed one of the washcloths, soaked it then wrung it out over the pot. He wasn't shocked to find that even though he filled the pot to the brim with snow, the amount of water that remained after melting was about half.

"C'mere kiddo," Joel said reaching out his hand.

Ellie excitedly scooted over, eagerly awaiting the touch of the warm washcloth.

He grabbed her small callused hands and wiped away the caked blood, dirt and grease. With each pass of the washcloth, the more her natural complexion shined against the fire and the more cuts and bruises he could see.

He reached his free hand behind her head to provide support as he begun washing her face. The water in the pot began to form a dark, reddish-brown color and after each rinse it became more saturated. The dirt, grease, caked blood and dried tears were being washed away while the cuts along her nose and cheeks were becoming more visible. She felt relieved and enjoyed feeling her hands free of the grime that collected on them during the harsh winter. The warm water had a soothing sensation as it relaxed her joints and muscles. She felt physically cleansed knowing the raw evidence of what transpired in that restaurant no longer resided on her hands and face, but in a grotesque cesspool in the pot above the fire.

After one last go over with the cloth, he gently grabbed her head with both his hands and let out a deep exhale.

"Much better... definitely beat up... you'll be sore tomorrow but you'll survive," Joel said, relieved to not find any serious gashes that could get infected. Ellie was immune to the Cordyceps virus that brought humanity to extinction's doorstep but a run-of-the-mill infection in a wound of any size remained a possibility.

As he pulled his hands away, his eyes darted to the bruises around her neck. Now that she was clean the bruises were clearly visible. They taunted him and were a vivid reminder of the horror that she endured. Seeing them again made him angry and he gritted his teeth.

_The things I would have done to that fucking son of a bitch. _He thought to himself.

"You okay?" Ellie asked noticing the sudden change of expression on Joel's face.

"Yeah... I'm fine... I'm - I'm glad your alright Ellie," he slowly said, allowing another sliver of verbal compassion to slip.

Ellie put her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you," she said with sincerity.

Joel answered her embrace with his.

"Just returnin' the favor."

* * *

The rabbit Ellie caught a few days before was roasting over the fire Joel put together. The low temperature of the basement kept the dead animal fresh enough to eat once charred over a fire. After the exhausting events of the day, both of them were famished and eating something was imperative before going to sleep.

Ellie sat next to Joel with her legs crossed in her usual posture, eagerly waiting for the rabbit to cook. Her mind started to wander and she broke the silence between the two of them in an attempt to keep herself in the present.

"Joel, what was the name of that game again, the one you were telling me about at the university?" she asked as she rested her head against his shoulder.

He looked down at her head and let out a slight snicker.

"It was uhh... called Football."

"Football? But you said the guys would like... throw the ball and catch it with their hands. That's stupid, why the hell was it called Football?" Ellie asked inquisitively.

Joel laughed. "Uhh... I aint totally sure. I just know we loved that damn game."

She lifted her head from his shoulder and shifted herself so she was facing him and watched his eyes gaze into the fire. She could tell his mind drifted to a fond memory, a reaction from her previous question.

"Tommy would come over on Sundays and watch the game with Sarah - " Joel interrupted himself as he cleared his throat. This was the first time he said Sarah's name in any context with Ellie.

"He'd watch the game on TV with Sarah and I... Drink beer, eat good food," he let out a deep sigh.

"Good times... brought people together."

Ellie's curiosity grew and she could tell Joel was enjoying reminiscing about his memories, so she persisted.

"They played on Sundays?"

"Yeah... mostly. Hell, Sundays during football season were basically a damn holiday in this country."

Joel adjusted his posture and ran his hands through his hair.

"Man... people would take it so seriously too. Hell, Tommy and I sure did. Seems stupid now considerin' the circumstances."

"Really?" Ellie asked in earnest.

"Yep. People would even - " Joel started to laugh to himself.

"People would wear a uhh... big t-shirt thing with their favorite player's name on it."

Ellie burst into laughter then immediately recoiled from the pain in her ribs.

"What the fuck?!... That's weird... seriously? Man, you lived in a strange time," Ellie said through her giggles.

_Poor thing._ Joel thought to himself.

"Serious... winnin' was sweet but uhh... losin' was crap."

"You played?" Ellie asked.

Realizing this entire concept was foreign to Ellie, Joel quickly amended his previous statement.

"Well... when the team you followed would win or lose..."

"You followed a team? How - how would you choose?" Ellie's curiosity was beginning to wane but she enjoyed the conversation and liked seeing Joel in a more relaxed state.

"Well... for some it was easy. Where ya lived. You rooted for the team nearest to ya."

Joel scratched his beard and exhaled.

"Others... others would just find a team they liked and that was that."

"Okay... how would you know if you liked a team or not? What made people like a team?" Ellie asked.

"Well I uhh... I would always tell Sarah..." Joel cleared his throat again as he struggled to say her name.

"I would always tell Sarah you found your team if while watching a game you had a gut reaction towards an outcome. A gut reaction you can't help from happening."

_A gut reaction._

Ellie perked up, remembering the internal debate with herself she had earlier.

"I reckon a gut reaction is as real and honest as you're gonna get." Joel continued.

"Once you get that reaction... then you know. That's your team."

"Which one was Tommy?" Ellie asked.

"Hah... he was easy. He just went straight for whichever one was closest."

"And you?" Ellie leaned her head closer while asking.

"I always go with my gut."

Ellie couldn't keep her face from giving way to a smile.

"I reckon food's up," Joel said as he pulled the rabbit off the fire.

* * *

After devouring the small amount of meat from the rabbit, exhaustion had completely set in and both of them could feel the weight of their eyelids take over.

"C'mon kiddo, you need to rest."

Ellie let out a big yawn and nodded in approval.

"I'll take the floor, you can take the mattress," Joel said.

Ellie curled up on the edge of mattress that was closest to Joel, lying on her side facing him while he lied on his back resting his head on his backpack.

"Good night," Ellie said.

"G'night," Joel responded.

Joel forced himself awake until he could hear Ellie's labored breathing slow and was sure she was sound asleep. Before long he finally gave in to his weariness and fell into what would be a restless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

"You won't survive long out there. I can protect you," David said, kneeling by the small fire.

Ellie slowly backpedaled with the hunting rifle fixed on David's head.

"No thanks."

Ellie turned around and sprinted up the hill to find Callus. She had medicine, she was going to save Joel.

_Hang on just a little longer Joel. _She pleaded to herself as she approached Callus, still tied to the tree branch.

"Let's get outta here. Come on."

Ellie lifted herself onto her horse and immediately put the animal into full stride. The wind bit at her skin and snowflakes accumulated on her hair as she rushed through the winter air.

_Faster... faster... I'm almost there. Hang on Joel. _Ellie thought to herself as she pushed Callus to run harder at every stride.

The horse let out a weary sounding neigh as she approached the garage. She quickly leaped down, lifted the garage door open and pulled Callus inside.

She bolted down the basement steps eager to finally give Joel the medicine he needed to rejoin her in the world of the living.

"No! No! This... This can't be! Something's wrong!" Ellie yelled out to herself.

Joel lied on his back in a pool of his own blood with a machete buried deep into his skull. His eyes were lifeless as they emptily gazed towards the ceiling.

"That was good, kid. It's gonna be alright."

Ellie heard David's voice emanating from a dark corner of the room. His shadowy figure slowly approached her and she felt paralyzed, unable to move. She felt her stomach jump into her throat and she frantically looked for Joel out of instinct. Her eyes begged his body to move but there was nothing. Nothing but his lifeless corpse lying on the mattress as this psychopath crept closer.

"Give up now and I promise to be quick," David said as he wrapped one hand around her neck and crept the other towards her jeans.

Ellie could feel his grasp tighten till she could no longer breath. She was a baby deer backed into a corner. He was the wolf gnashing his teeth, the end was near and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She tried to let out one last desperate yelp. No one but David could hear her and he smiled as she shed what would be her final tears.

* * *

Ellie shot straight up from the mattress, panting and covered in sweat. She glanced around the room trying to bring her mind back to the present and out of the nightmare she just dreamed. "Ohhh fuck..." she quietly cried out to herself as tears dripped from her eyes.

Ellie sniffled and let out one last sob. She took a deep breath, relieved to know it was just a dream.

She looked to her left and saw Joel sound asleep, alive and breathing on the floor next to her. She pulled herself off the mattress and wiggled her way underneath his arm and nuzzled up against his soft flannel shirt. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on his heart beat while she attempted to fall back asleep. She felt his muscles tense and his arm jolt forward. She worried that he woke up from her contact. She could feel his breathing quicken and noticed his heartbeat spike then heard him gasp for air.

* * *

"Stop!"

"Please. It's my daughter. I think her leg's broken," Joel said in despair.

"Stop right there!" the soldier snapped as he pointed his rifle in Joel's direction.

"Okay... we're not sick."

The soldier leaned his head towards his radio and spoke. "Got a couple of civilians in the outer perimeter. Please advise."

"Daddy, what about uncle Tommy?"

"We're gonna get you to safety and go back for him. Okay?"

Joel looked back up at the soldier as he continued to converse with the voice on the other end of his radio.

"Sir, there's a little girl. But... Yes, sir."

"Listen, buddy, we've just been through hell. Okay, we just need -" Joel pleaded.

The soldier raised his rifle and started shooting as Joel dove down the hill trying to avoid the spray of bullets.

Joel looked up at the soldier, blinded by his flashlight pointed directly in his eyes. All he could make out was the gun barrel aimed and ready to end his existence.

All of a sudden he heard the crackle of Tommy's pistol.

The soldier dropped dead to the ground as Tommy shot him in the head.

"Oh no..." Tommy said.

Joel looked up and could see Ellie writhing on the ground in pain, holding her hands over a bloodied spot on her torso.

"Ellie! Okay. Move your hands, baby. I know, baby. I know... Listen to me, I know this hurts, baby. You're gonna be okay, baby. Stay with me. Alright, I'm gonna pick you up."

Ellie squealed in pain, she knew it was the end.

"I know, baby. I know it hurts. Come on, baby, please. I know, baby. I know. Ellie... Baby... Don't do this to me, baby. Don't do this to me, baby girl. Come on... No, no... Oh no, no, no... Please. Oh, God. Please, please, don't do this. Please, God..."

* * *

Joel's eyes snapped open as he gasped for air and jolted his arm forward. His muscles tensed and his breathing was rapid as tears started to roll down his cheeks.

As his mind pulled itself back into reality, he realized he felt the weight and warmth of Ellie resting against his chest. He looked down to see her pony tail lying near the base of his neck. He reached his free hand to his face to wipe the tears from his eyes as he exhaled, relieved to see her little frame alive and breathing.

_I cannot lose you. I will not lose you. I will not lose another daughter._ Joel thought to himself.

Joel knew she was awake, she must of snuggled up next to him recently since he wasn't asleep for very long.

"I hate bad dreams," he said.

He could feel Ellie adjust her head and stretch her arm further over him. "Me too," she said.

Joel let out one last sniffle, affectionately ran his hand over her greasy hair and wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulder as she readjusted her head on his shirt to her liking.

He smiled and had something he hadn't for twenty years. _Purpose_.

"G'night..." Joel whispered then paused for a few seconds then finally finished his sentence.

"... Baby girl."

Even under her exhaustion Ellie felt an irresistible smile stretch across her face as she let out a deep breath and fell into a nightmare-free, restful sleep.

Sleep they would both need to begin the trek to Salt Lake City that stood before them.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Wow, okay, first off, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my story and even more to the people who left reviews. Thank you so much for the kind feedback, it means a lot to me. I'm honestly ecstatic to read the positive reactions. I wasn't sure if anyone would read it in the first place! I'm very pleasantly surprised, and as such, I have decided I will indeed see this to completion all the way to Salt Lake. I'm hoping to post a new chapter at least once a week, maybe more frequently than that.**

**On another note, before I had the courage to write this story and then post it... I read many, many other stories on this site from other really amazing authors. If I could name them all it would be a chapter of its own. So I was indeed inspired in some ways by the other great and creative writers on this site along with the lasting impression the game left on me. I guess, in a way, I am saying thank you to not only those who read and/or reviewed this, but also to all of the writers who gave me the courage and inspiration with their great work as well. Cheers. Here's chapter five, it's a bit longer than I expected, but oh well. Enjoy.**

* * *

The morning sun splashed through the windows in the basement. Joel strained to opened his eyes and his first course of action after waking from his slumber, out of instinct, was to check on Ellie.

He glanced down and noticed she hadn't moved since snuggling up to him earlier in the night. Her pony tail remained in the same spot she left it and he could still feel the tickle from the tips of her hair against his neck.

His toes, fingers, nose and mouth felt frozen. The basement provided protection from the snow and wind, but with no heat source the stone floor felt like a slab of ice. He brought his free hand up to his eyes and rubbed out the heavy sore feeling on his eyelids that he became so accustomed to each morning. Despite dozing off rather quickly after Ellie's attempt to snuggle, he awoke this morning in discomfort. Primarily from his healing puncture wound and the ache in his joints and back from lying on the cold, hard floor.

He tilted his head towards the windows and tried to estimate the time from how bright it was outside. Who was he kidding, he had no clue and let out a deep breath as he watched it depart his mouth into the frigid morning air. Normally, he would have immediately risen from his horizontal position, ready to begin the day. This time he merely looked back down at Ellie's greasy, auburn hair and smiled. She hadn't woken up yet and she desperately needed the extra rest.

Joel affectionately ran the back of his hand against her hair then felt her begin to shift.

_So much for sleepin' in. _He thought.

"Mornin'," he said

Ellie slowly lifted her head backwards in an attempt to look up at Joel, only able to get about three-quarters of the way there before her neck refused to bend further. She looked slightly embarrassed, knowing that Joel could clearly see her so tightly snuggled up next to him. She had never done that before and she began to wonder if what she did in the middle of the night, and the entire previous day for that matter, was all a dream on its own.

She let out her trademark morning yawn and squeal as she stretched her arms out above her head, almost knocking Joel in the face in the process.

"Good morning," Ellie finally replied with a smile.

After her exaggerated morning stretch, she tried to nonchalantly peel herself off of Joel and roll back onto the mattress. The realization of how vulnerable she, and frankly him, became during the night made her nervous and the only reaction she had known, almost her whole life, was to pull away. It was a defense mechanism that kept her from getting hurt, despite every part of her desire for attachment. She wasn't sure if sleeping curled up next to him was an anomaly, or if it would now become a regular occurrence.

"Oh god... what the fuck!" she groaned.

"I'm so damn sore!"

"Told ya, you're gonna be sore for a few days," Joel responded.

"Yeah I figured but... man, I feel awful!"

_Poor baby girl._ Joel thought to himself. He was so glad to see her finally fall asleep in peace earlier in the night after her nightmare, but he wished he could spare her the soreness throughout her entire body by somehow putting the pain on himself. He would if he could, and he knew it.

"I reckon I'd kill for a cup of coffee right now," Joel said with yearning in his voice.

"I've seen you kill for less..." Ellie responded as she slowly lifted herself to a sitting position on the mattress.

Joel gave her a half-playful glare as payback for her quick wit.

"Still don't mean I don't want some," he said, locking both hands behind his head. He could feel how disheveled his hair was from sleeping on his backpack and rose to a sitting posture to face Ellie.

He reached out his hand to fix her hair.

"'Side from bein' sore, how ya holdin' up?" Joel asked with care, referring to the events from yesterday.

She took a deep breath.

"Things happen... and we move on," she said, starting to get choked up.

"Ellie... Now may - " Joel couldn't finish his statement before being interrupted.

"I don't want to talk about it!" she snapped.

"Not yet..." She heaved a sigh and hung her head and let out a whisper. "I'm sorry."

Joel lifted her chin and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be. Nothin' to be sorry for. You wanna talk, talk, if not, nobody's gonna make ya... Alright?"

Ellie simply nodded in response.

"Now, let's get somethin' in us before we get goin'," he said, pointing to the remaining half-empty soda bottle that Ellie had found when they first arrived at the house.

"Ugghh... I'm so sick of that crap," Ellie groaned.

"I reckon you are, but it's got sugar in it... help us get started."

"Blech... I know..." Ellie reluctantly said in agreement.

After struggling to down what remained of the now completely flat soda, Joel began vocalizing his plan for the day.

"So Ellie... I know we gotta keep pushin' to Salt Lake... but uhh... we can go whenever you're rea-"

Ellie's eyes gave him an intense stare and she interrupted him before he could finish his statement. "No! Fuck that! We are getting the hell out of here. I hate this place, I fucking hate everything to do with it, we are leaving today."

Joel recoiled just a tad given her volatile reaction.

_She really is scarred._ He thought to himself.

"Aight, you got it. We leave today... gonna have to restock on supplies though."

"Yep," Ellie said.

Joel stood up and threw his backpack on. He glanced down at Ellie only to see her tenderly rubbing her ribs. He knew she was still in a lot of pain, which only emphasized even more to him how badly she wanted to get out of here.

"I reckon the only supplies remaining are probably back at..." He stopped himself knowing he didn't have to say another word.

"I know," Ellie quietly responded as she nodded her head.

"Yeah..." Joel said with a sigh.

"I'll round up whatever I can, you pack up anything you can find 'round here okay?"

Ellie sighed. She was conflicted. She so badly wanted to stay at his side, knowing that her nagging fear of him never coming back would eventually crawl its way back to the front of her mind. But going back to the place which housed the monster was impossible, she wouldn't do it.

_She had to trust him._

"Sure... Don't - " Ellie started to say.

"Be long? I won't," Joel said, finishing her thought.

"Still got bullets in your pistol?" he asked.

"Enough," Ellie responded.

Joel gave a nod of approval. "When I come back... I'll knock three times on the front door... just so ya know it's me."

"An' if ya hear the door open before three knocks... you make every b-"

"Bullet count, yeah. I know," Ellie said with a smirk.

She felt her stomach twist and turn as she watched him turn his back and walk towards the stairs.

"Hey Joel... Thank you."

She wanted to say so much more, but the words "thank you" were all that escaped her lips.

Joel turned around and wanted to say what he was truly feeling but could only muster a usual succinct response.

"Just returnin' the favor."

* * *

Ellie listened to every footstep from Joel upstairs as he walked his way to the front door, dreading the last one. She heard the door shut and there was nothing but dead silence, not even the wind was blowing. She let out a deep sigh and began talking to herself in an attempt to keep her sanity.

"Okay... time to pack things up I guess."

She rolled up the blanket she had been using, along with the makeshift pillow that was merely a small towel. She glanced around the room looking for anything of value and saw nothing but trash and useless objects lining the floor and shelves.

She slowly walked her way to the foot of the stairs wincing at each step. The pain in her ribs was not quite as acute as last night, but there was still very much a heavy dull ache that refused to let go. She thought the pain was weakening throughout the morning, but then couldn't tell if she was simply getting used to it. She reached the top of the stairs and nervously scanned the first floor of the house. Even though she knew she was alone, she couldn't help but feel like something was always waiting in a dark corner, stalking her every move.

Her mind started to trail off.

_Thank you? That's all you came up with? _She thought to herself.

For the first time, she truly felt attached to someone and had finally accepted that fact. However, she was confused and entirely unsure of what to make of this new feeling. This was brand new territory for her, and it felt daunting.

_Joel doesn't feel this way about me, does he?_ _He couldn't... _Ellie pondered to herself.

He still viewed Sarah as his one and only daughter. That would never change, or could it?

She again thought back to when they first met. How did she end up viewing this gruff, dismissive middle-aged man as her father? She fondly thought back to snuggling up against him after her nightmare and remembered how warm, safe and happy she felt. She remembered the butterflies in her stomach after hearing those two words again.

_Baby girl._

She wanted him to know how she felt, but had no idea where to start. The widest spectrum of emotions raged through her. One moment she would feel angry and depressed when thinking about that sick bastard David and how he tried to rape her. The next she was thinking about Riley which filled her with sadness and guilt.

Then came Joel.

The thought of him always made her happy, but it recently also filled her with angst, now that she had to wrestle with their relationship unfolding between them.

"C'mon Ellie, get it together," she said to herself.

She exhaled a loud, deep breath and continued to scour the house for remaining supplies.

* * *

As Joel made his way down the snow covered road, back to the center of town, where he would surely find the corpses of his and Ellie's handiwork, he started to mull over the multitude of thoughts that were running wild in his head.

_Is this really happening?_ He thought to himself.

Was he really viewing Ellie as his daughter now? He realized how much he enjoyed feeling her warmth while she sidled up to him during the night. It reminded him of Sarah, when she would tip-toe into his room and crawl into bed after one of her nightmares.

"God dammit," he said to himself as he emptily stared down the road ahead of him, finally accepting what he'd been thinking for so long.

He cared for her almost from the first second he laid eyes on her. She reminded him so much of Sarah. He knew he viewed Ellie as a daughter and thought he came to terms with that last night after they both woke from their respective dreams. But the entire day and evening seemed so surreal to him, he wasn't sure if it really happened. He knew that was just his mind trying to convince him otherwise.

Ellie was _his_ daughter now. As much as he felt it betrayed Sarah, he couldn't stop the gut feeling that had grown stronger every day on his journey with this little sprite. He simply, could not live without her at this point.

"I'm sorry, baby," Joel said to himself as he looked towards the sky.

He couldn't help but feel like he was replacing Sarah with Ellie. Then, his walk ceased as he pondered the last item that ran threw his head. He wasn't replacing Sarah with Ellie. Ellie was simply another daughter. Ellie was his second chance. Ellie was his chance for redemption. Redemption for failing to protect Sarah during their darkest moments together. He remembered the feeling that fluttered through him just as Ellie snuggled up with him.

_Purpose._

Ellie gave him a new sense of _purpose_.

Joel shook his head and cracked the smallest of smiles as he stepped up to the lodge by the lake, ready to begin the restocking of his supplies.

* * *

Ellie sat on the mattress, cross-legged and eagerly anticipating Joel's return. She had everything packed up, and couldn't wait to get out of this place. She managed to find a small, two person tent upstairs in one of the closets and hoped it was still in working condition, along with a few cans of food and one more bottle of soda. Every second that went by in which she didn't hear three knocks on the front door made her more anxious than the previous one.

"C'mon Joel, you said you wouldn't be long..." she said to herself.

_Knock, knock, knock._

She immediately perked up with a smile and heard the front door creak open. Aside from the knocks, she could immediately tell it was Joel just by the sound of his boots against the wood floor above.

"Joel?!" she yelled to the top of the stairs.

"Yep, it's me," he replied.

He was so glad to see her face and that pony tail of hers again. He smiled as he approached her.

She was so glad to see his face and that scruffy beard of his again. She smiled as he approached her.

"Anything good?" Joel asked.

"I found a tent... a few things of canned food," Ellie responded.

"Yeah? What'd ya find?" Joel asked with curiosity.

"Canned peaches... and this other thing called Man - Manda - Mandar... fuck, I don't know how you say - "

"Mandarin oranges," Joel assisted.

"Whatever..." Ellie said with a slight giggle. "They any good?"

"I reckon you'll like 'em. Their uhh... sweet as hell... Sarah used to love 'em."

Ellie noticed that was the first time he said Sarah's name without choking up.

"Ohhh... I like sweet," Ellie said in excitement.

"Reckon every kid does," Joel jokingly prodded.

He exhaled and began to show Ellie what he found.

"Well... I found some bullets lyin' around. Some for the rifle, the shotgun and some more pistol rounds... also found a sleeping bag. But only one..."

The smallest part of Ellie was happy he only found one, it would give her an excuse to always be next to him at night.

"Most importantly - finally found a damn map."

Joel unfolded the map and laid it across the floor, pointing to the forest in eastern Colorado, where him and Ellie were located.

"We're here... Salt Lake is way over here."

Ellie gulped. "That's still pretty far... isn't it?" she asked.

"Mmmhm," Joel replied.

"I reckon we got two options. We head north 'til we hit I-80, then take it all the way to Salt Lake or... we can uhh... take this other road here. It ain't an interstate, but it's still a state highway... highway forty. It'll eventually curve up north... take us directly to where we're headed."

"Alright... what's the better of the two?" Ellie asked.

"Well... my thoughts are this. We go I-80, less Infected... since people probably been travelin' down it and cleared most of 'em out. But that means more hunters... more regular people like you an' me."

"We take forty... more Infected, since it's a less traveled road... and that means less hunters and less regular people like you an' me."

Joel looked up at Ellie waiting for her input.

"As bad as the Infected are, at least they're predictable," Ellie said, recalling Bill's comment back in Massachusetts. "It's the normal fucking people that scare me... we can handle the Infected."

Ellie's statement cut Joel right to the bone.

_She was so right and did humanity really deserve to be saved?_ He thought to himself.

Joel gave way to a heavy sigh.

"You're damn right 'bout that kiddo... god damn fuckin' right. Forty it is."

* * *

After packing everything up, the two of them began their trek to Salt Lake City, holding onto the last bit of hope that what they were looking for would still be there.

Just before they finally exited this god forsaken place, Ellie stopped and turned around to gaze upon what had become the embodiment of her personal hell. She picked up a nearby stone and threw it as hard as she could at an old advertisement sign that was placed for the lodge.

"Let's get the fuck out of here... for good," she exclaimed.

"Yes ma'am," Joel replied with a smirk.

They turned back around and continued west towards forty, hoping the worst stretch of their journey was complete.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Still very touched from the positive feedback and reviews. Thank you all so much. To the reviewer who caught me on misnaming the highway... gah! You are absolutely right! My mistake, it is indeed US-40 and not a state highway. Good catch. Shout out to all the other engineers who read/reviewed as well, awesome. Sometimes it's good to write actual English and not just code all the time, hah. I know I said updates once a week, but I lied. I can't seem to stay away and work is slow today, so here's chapter six. Action coming very soon, I promise! Thanks all.**

* * *

The snow was deep and it severely hindered Ellie and Joel's pace as they trudged their way towards highway forty. They could barely make out the guardrail for the road off in the distance and Joel heaved a sigh of relief at its sight.

"Right up there, we're close," he yelled back to Ellie.

It was only about a fifteen mile hike from the lakeside resort to the highway, but given the heavy snow and Ellie's physical discomfort, it took them most of the afternoon and in a few hours it would be dark. Ellie walked a few steps behind Joel, morosely staring at his feet and listening to his snow crunching footsteps. She hadn't said a word in quite some time and was lost in her head. Joel tried to not let the silence bother him, but he couldn't help notice her somber attitude. He knew what was scratching away at her mind and he knew not to specifically ask about the topic. She would instigate the conversation when ready to do so.

Just before approaching the hill they needed to ascend to reach the road, they entered a small clearing as the evergreen overhang that covered them for miles finally parted. Snow covered trees lined the perimeter of the clearing, creating a view of the overcast sky. Joel stopped and looked up to the clouds. Snow gently started to fall and the silence was deafening.

"Ya hear that?" Joel turned around and said to Ellie.

Ellie didn't notice him stop and nearly walked right into him.

"Ellie?... Ya there?" Joel said, putting his arm out to her shoulder as she approached him. The empty look in her eyes gave away her lost-in-space mindset.

"Oh, wha - ? Sorry... I was - " Ellie finally spoke.

"No... ahh don't... it's - it's fine. You're thinkin'... I uhh... I do it too," Joel said trying to be understanding. He felt bad she apologized, there was no need to.

Ellie gave a forced smile and returned his gaze.

"Ya hear that?" he repeated.

"No, hear what? I hear nothing, literally nothing, Joel," Ellie said.

"Mmhmm, nothin'... Snow fallin' on the trees don't even make a sound," Joel answered.

"Yeah... it's - it's kinda creepy actually... don't think I like it."

She was accustomed to the Boston quarantine zone, where absolute silence was a luxury and frankly, an unknown. The concept of not hearing at least some sort of sound, even it was just the hum of the engines in the curfew patrol vehicles, was strange to her.

Joel reached in his pack for some water and handed it to Ellie.

"Drink up, we're gonna have to climb that hill," he said, pointing towards the snow laden, rocky hill.

"That right there is the highway."

Ellie scanned the terrain and grabbed her ribs in the process. Her ability to ignore the pain, coupled with the fact that it was becoming duller by the hour, made the thought of climbing anything steep less daunting, but she still wasn't thrilled about it.

Joel took note of her reaction. "We'll... we'll take our time. We're in no rush," he said.

Ellie nodded and forced another smile. She knew he was trying to be caring, something she was appreciative of, but the thought of her being a hindrance was bothersome. She never viewed herself as someone who needed pity or help, Joel and her were in this together. She hated feeling like she was the one holding them back.

_He cares about you, Ellie. Just like you for him. _She thought to herself.

She handed him the water and watched him take a swig.

"Let's do this," Ellie said as she walked passed Joel and approached the base of the hill.

* * *

It took them a full fifteen minutes to climb to the top. Each step was meticulously planned so as not to go tumbling back down and breaking more bones in the process. The snow made it far more difficult as it provided the protruding rocks a disguise.

"Okay... finally. Here we are," Joel said, hands on his knees.

"Yeah... that was... awesome," Ellie said sarcastically.

"Now, we're pretty much gonna stay on this road 'til Salt Lake I reckon," Joel began to explain.

"Hopefully find some towns here and there... an' some places to stay for the night... keep us outta the cold."

"Yep," Ellie said with a nod.

She didn't wait for Joel to walk ahead and simply started down the road on her own.

Joel lifted his hands from his knees and gave a confused look.

"God dammit," he whispered to himself under his breath.

Ellie's emotions were visible and he wanted to help her so badly, but had no idea how.

"Sarah - " he continued to say to himself, but then stopped and shook his head in an attempt to stave off the oncoming of tears.

"Sarah never got to this point..." he finished, referring to the early years of adolescence.

He heaved a sigh and jogged his way up to Ellie.

_Don't say anything. You know what's bothering her, let it be. _He thought to himself.

Despite his brain's attempt to restrain him, his heart willed him otherwise and he couldn't resist.

"Ellie... you uhh... you alright? Been extra quiet since we left," Joel asked. He almost wished he could reach out and pull the words right back into his mouth.

Ellie stopped, turned towards him and for quite a few seconds didn't respond, still lost in her own thoughts.

_Just tell him what you're thinking. He's become your father... no, no, no... that's not true, not yet. _She thought to herself.

She couldn't bring herself to say what had been on her mind since waking up that morning. She wanted to tell him about her horrific experience with David, eventually. Not only that, she wanted to tell him how attached she became to him and how important he was. She just couldn't do it.

What if she was the only one becoming attached? What if he still viewed her merely as cargo and once they reached their destination they would part ways? She thought admitting her feelings out loud would alter his view of her being independent, strong and that she didn't need anybody. But after all they had been through, witnessing his instinctual actions towards her during life and death situations, she knew he _had _to care about her. As always, it was her constant fear of abandonment, that had been so persistent throughout her life, which made her hesitant. Her "I don't need anyone" projection of herself was a survival mechanism meant to hide her underlying greatest fear. Being abandoned by someone she _loved._ Being alone. It may have fooled everyone else, but she would always know the truth.

She finally made eye contact and issued a response.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm - I'm fine. I'm just really tired, that's all," she said as she wrapped one arm under his shoulder and around his back. He was warm and she liked the contact.

Joel was relieved to finally hear her speak, even though he knew she was lying. He laid his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle pat.

"Yeah kiddo... me too. Me too," he said while exhaling.

"We'll keep goin' for an hour or so... start lookin' for a place to sleep."

* * *

An hour passed as they continued their way down highway forty, the sun was beginning to set and the snowfall intensified. Joel began scanning the horizon at every step, looking for a place they could retreat to. The two of them hadn't said much to each other and Joel eventually started whistling to break the silence. Ellie was still lost in her head and at this point was ready to call it a day in terms of trekking.

Joel was also getting tired and could sense his mind beginning to wander. He too was pondering how to express his feelings towards the rapidly unfolding relationship that developed between them. Ellie had become his daughter.

_C'mon Joel, you're a fuckin' grown man, just tell her. _He thought to himself.

He was afraid his cold, rough outer-shell would be exposed if he demonstrated what was churning inside him. His frozen heart had finally melted and his humanity was beginning to return, even if it was only coming back in small doses. This little girl brought out feelings in him he thought were lost forever. He wanted to let her know how much he cared, and reemphasize his testament to stay by her side and never abandon her. He wanted to admit that he _needed _her presence. That he _loved _her, and that she gave him _purpose._

He couldn't do it. What if she merely viewed him as a means to an end? What if she was only using him to get to Salt Lake? In this cold, kill or be killed world, it seemed exactly like the thing he would have done in her position. If that were the case, he would lose another daughter. That was something that would surely kill him.

It had become a game. Both of them full well knew what their relationship was. Both of them knew how each other felt. It was simply a game of which strong and independent personality would break first. Who would eventually crack and let their feelings truly show. Who would finally admit to the other, that their presence, was the biggest purpose in their life.

Ellie's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hey Joel! Look!" Ellie exclaimed in excitement, pointing just down the road to the right.

"Well would ya look at that," he responded. "Good eye."

A huge one story farm house sat in the distance. About thirty yards to the left was an old barn, most likely for horses and cattle. Sprawling before the front of the house was a large field, although now it was covered with a thick layer of snow. An old wooden fence lined the perimeter of the field and a large, bare tree stood in the middle.

Ellie had never been in a house like this before. The basement back at the lake resort didn't count. Joel told her about the one he lived in before the outbreak, but she never experienced one for herself. All she knew was the nomadic lifestyle where home was the road and the Boston quarantine zone.

"C'mon! Let's go check it out!" Ellie said excitedly as her pace quickened.

Joel let out a small laugh. "I'm comin' - Christ, slow down."

They hopped the wood fence and approached the front of the house. They slowed their pace and instinctively tried to be as quiet as possible. There could be Infected lurking inside. Ellie drew her pistol, just in case.

Joel pulled the shotgun from over his shoulder and placed two shells in the chamber.

Ellie stepped onto the front porch and slowly approached the door.

"Hang on," Joel said, as he joined her up the porch.

He knelt down and placed his ear against the door, attempting to hear anything that could be waiting for them inside.

"I got nothin'," he said.

"I'm gonna open the door okay? You peek inside," Ellie whispered.

Joel nodded and concurred.

The door creaked open and Joel stepped inside, shotgun aimed and ready.

He took one long look around then lowered his gun.

"Wow... Ellie... you're gonna - " he started to say.

"What!? Let me see!" Ellie said as she barged in behind him.

The house was in great condition, considering it had been uninhabited for twenty years. A faint musky smell filled the air as some of the cushions on the furniture were molding from the dust and moisture that collected over time. It was a large open floor plan with vaulted ceilings and a gorgeous fireplace at the end of the living room. The kitchen was to the right and had beautiful marble counter tops along with stainless steel appliances. Pendant lighting hung above the counters and stove, giving the kitchen a very high-end feel.

"Wow!" Ellie gasped, in awe of her surroundings.

"Reminds me of a remodel Tommy and I did back in the day... this is uhh... this is nice," Joel said.

"Nice? It's amazing!" Ellie said, still in wonderment. "Look at the kitchen! Holy shit!"

She dropped her pistol, ran over to the kitchen and rubbed her hand along the marble counter top. A thick layer of dust stuck to her fingers and she left a small, finger wide trail on the counter that revealed the black and speckled blue shine in the marble.

"Shhh! Keep it down... still haven't cleared the whole place yet," Joel said, raising his index finger to his lips. It made him happy to see her this way, but his usual survival instincts kicked in.

She knew he was right. "Shit... right. Sorry!" she whispered as she tip toed her way back to him with a big smile on her face.

Joel handed her back her pistol.

"Okay, I'll take this half... you check the other end," Joel said.

Ellie nodded and carefully made her way down the hallway with her pistol drawn.

Joel examined the bedrooms on his half, taking note of the quality in each one. He peeked in the bathroom and pulled the shower curtain open.

He glanced down at the toilet and snickered to himself. That was a luxury they hadn't had in a long time, even if there was no running water.

He went back to the kitchen and perused the cabinets, pulling open each one hoping to find any supplies. Most of them were empty, but he found an old can of black olives along with more canned peaches and one can of tomato paste.

"The hell is it with canned peaches... all I ever find," he said to himself.

He opened the last cabinet and his eyes widened.

"Oh my... I reckon Ellie's gonna love this." He grabbed the box and noticed there were still a few packets left. The label Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate ran across the front. He figured Ellie never had hot chocolate before and relished the opportunity to make her some.

"I'm clear!" he heard Ellie yell from across the house.

"Same!" he responded.

_Reckon I should clear the barn too. _He thought to himself.

Ellie waltzed her way back to the living room and saw Joel standing with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face.

"Uhh... what are you doing?" she asked him.

"Look what I found," Joel said as he pulled the box of Swiss Miss from behind is back.

Ellie's eyes widened with desire.

"Umm Joel... is that what I think it is?" she asked.

"Depends... uhh... what you think it is?

"Chocolate!?" she loudly exclaimed.

"I reckon you're right," he said with a smile.

She ran over and ripped the box from his hands and gleefully inspected it. All of a sudden her smile waned and a look of disappointment engulfed her face.

"What... this - this isn't chocolate, it's just packets of something... something else. Why would you do that to me!?" she half jokingly said.

"No... kiddo..." Joel began to speak.

_You're too damn cute__._ He thought to himself.

"It's only powder now... but you heat up water and stir it in. Boom, you got warm, liquid chocolate," he finished explaining.

"What!? No... you're fucking with me... seriously?" Ellie asked in disbelief. "First that crazy ice cream truck shit, now this?"

"I'm serious. I wouldn't lie to ya," Joel said, knowing full well, that unless he _absolutely had to_, he meant the last part.

"Let's have it now! C'mon, please?" Ellie said, crossing her arms behind her back as a humongous grin stretched across her face.

Joel laughed. "'Course... I wouldn't do that to ya... I'll get a fire goin'."

* * *

The fire blazed in the fire place and another pot of snow sat above the dancing flames. They both sat in front of the fire place absorbing the warmth as the snow fell heavily outside. The sun had completely set and the only light emanating from the room was from the fire. Ellie could hardly contain her excitement for the impending chocolate delight that awaited her. Her stomach growled, which drew Joel's attention.

"Reckon you need to eat - can't just have hot chocolate as a meal," he said.

"Pfft... I could make it work," Ellie responded. "But fine... you're right."

They cracked open the canned peaches, passed it back and forth, each taking turns from the old tin can.

As she chewed her last bite, Ellie scanned the walls of the living room. Admiring the architecture and the decorations. She noticed two peculiar objects hung up on one of the walls. They appeared to be two, skinny, long planks of wood with bits of metal attached on the surface towards the middle.

"Joel..." she started just before swallowing her last bite of peaches.

"Yep?" he responded as he rubbed his fingers over his broken watch again.

"What the hell are those things?"

He got up and inspected the two wooden objects attached to the wall she was pointing too.

"Hah... no shit," he said.

"What? What are they?" Ellie asked in earnest.

"Those there are an old pair of skiis."

"Skiis?"

"Mmhmm," he responded.

"What the hell are skiis?"

"Well... back... before the world went to hell. People would actually travel to snowy, mountainous regions to go skii'in... an' skiis are what you used."

"You'd sit on these big metal chairs as they carried you up the mountain... then you'd just slide back down on the skiis... doin' your best not to eat shit on the way down mind ya," he said, realizing how ridiculous this probably sounded to Ellie.

Ellie burst out laughing, again slightly wincing from the dull pain that remained in her ribs.

"Really!? That's so weird! Oh my god! The shit you people did in your time... so fuckin' strange."

Joel started to laugh himself. "Yeah - reckon you're right. Sounds ridiculous now... but tons of people did it."

He walked back over to the fire and glanced at the pot, he noticed the water was beginning to bubble. He ripped open the packets of Swiss Miss and poured them in, mixing it with the water.

"Almost ready," he said.

Ellie nodded, but pressed on with their previous conversation about this alien concept called skiing.

"Wait... hang on. So you're telling me - people actually traveled from warm places... you know - places with no snow... to cold places _with _snow? What the fuck was wrong with people!? Why would anyone ever do that to themselves?"

Joel let out a chuckle, sat down next to her in front of the fire and messed with her hair.

"Well - not uhh... not everyone felt about the cold the way you do. Hell - some people actually liked it," he said.

"Wow... that's - that's just not right... did you ever do it?"

"Nah... too expensive. I reckon also in Texas... there ain't any places to skii. Flat as hell. Sarah... she - she always wanted to try it, but never had the chance."

"Oh," Ellie said, sensing the hint of sadness behind his voice as he mentioned Sarah.

"Tess said she did though... back before... ya know - everything," Joel continued.

"She said she was actually from the New England area and would - "

"Wait, the New what? What did you just say?" Ellie interrupted him.

Joel let out a snicker. "Sorry... the city of Boston, it's uhh... it's in a region of the country known as New England."

"New England?" Ellie asked. "What the fuck made it new?"

Joel laughed. "'Cause it wasn't old England? I dunno... it was supposedly home to the earliest towns in the States, but I'm no historian. They never taught ya 'bout the Salem witch trials? None of that crap in that school of yours?" he asked.

Ellie shook her head. "Nope."

Joel sighed.

"Well... anyway, yeah... Tess said she was from the area and would go skii'in' with friends. Said snow was good too... whole area gets cold as shit and dumped on durin' the winter."

"Can't be any colder than this fucking place," Ellie said with a shiver.

"You might be right. But - I guess she was used to it."

_How could anyone get used to the cold?_ Ellie thought to herself. It would always remind her of David.

"So... ya remember Football?" Joel asked.

"Yeah, you and Tommy would watch it on TV and shit." Ellie said.

"Yeah, well... people would also actually go to the games... in these uhh... huge oval shaped structures called stadiums.

"I know what a stadium is, Joel," Ellie said as she glared at him.

He let out a muffled laugh. "Oh - well you surprise me sometimes kiddo with the crap you don't know," he said as he gave her a playful nudge.

"Anyway... back then there was a real nice one... 'bout thirty minutes down the road from Boston in a small suburb called uhh... shit."

He scratched his beard as he searched his head for the name.

"Fuck, I don't remember the damn name, but anyway - Tess... she - she said some of 'er guy friends would go shirtless," Joel said as he laughed to himself, readjusting his posture to get comfortable.

"Oh god! Why!?" Ellie exclaimed.

Joel shrugged.

"I dunno... guess it was a way to embrace the cold. Show it don't bother ya. Embracin' that which scares your enemy... I reckon scares 'em even more."

"That's stupid... no one should ever do that," Ellie said with a giggle.

They both looked towards the pot full of hot chocolate and noticed the steam that began to rise from the surface.

"Looks like it's done," Joel said with a smile as he reached to grab the pot, careful not to burn himself.

Ellie perked up in excitement, eagerly awaiting the warm treat. Joel grabbed an old bowl that he found in the kitchen, lowered it into the pot and scooped out some of the hot beverage.

"Here," he said as he reached the bowl to Ellie. "Careful though... it's hot."

Ellie blew on the surface, watching the steam part ways with the bowl. She could immediately feel the radiant heat pulse from the bowl onto the skin of her hands and let out a deep, relaxed sounding exhale.

She couldn't wait any longer, she brought the bowl to her lips and took a small sip. Her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Holy shit! This is so fucking good!"

Joel smiled. "Told ya."

She didn't care about the temperature of the liquid. She tipped the bowl up and downed the entire thing, letting out an extremely loud burp as proclamation of her conquest. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked slightly embarrassed.

"Oops... sorry," she said with a smirk.

"Pfft... I can beat that." Joel grabbed the bowl, scooped some for himself and gulped it down. He formed a fist, brought it to his chest, then stuck out his index finger from his other hand signalling a waiting motion.

"Oh... here it comes!" he said.

Joel's mouth opened wide and he belched so loud it felt like the room shook.

"God damn! Nice one!" Ellie said with a laugh. "Oh wait... I got another," she continued.

The little girl put forth an even bigger burp than her first and beamed with pride.

Joel let out a boisterous laugh. "Well done kiddo... now enjoy the last of that... may not get it again."

Ellie nodded and scooped up some more, savoring the first sip as she closed her eyes.

After taking her last sip, a sound echoed from the front porch outside. A sound that never makes any attempt to disguise itself.

_Click, click, click._

Ellie dropped the bowl and looked at Joel.

_Fuck. I forgot about the barn._


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I know I said I wasn't going to leave many AN's, however I just want to say I really, really enjoyed writing this chapter. It's a bit shorter than the others but it took me longer. I had to make sure it was exactly right and how I wanted before posting. Enjoy.**

* * *

Both of them jumped straight to their feet and watched in horror as the knob on the front door slowly turned. Within seconds they saw the door creak open and a clicker stumble its way into the room. Their boisterous laughing and ruckus attracted it from the barn that was not far from the house. Joel and Ellie stood on opposite sides of the fireplace with their backs against the wall. Joel glanced across the room, to the other side of the entry way, only to see all of their supplies strung across the couch.

Ellie looked at him, and only from the look in her eyes, he could tell she was imploring him to do something, anything. He simply met her eyes with his and raised his index finger to his lips. Ellie nodded in return and returned her gaze back to the clicker, which now began making its way in their direction.

Ellie slowly drew her switchblade from her pocket. Joel looked at her and brought a straightened hand across his neck, simulating a slicing of the neck motion, commanding her not to do anything rash. She shook her head as if to say she wouldn't in order to ease his worry. If it wasn't bad enough, the squeaking sound of another door from the other end of the house rippled through the air. A second set of clicks followed and pierced down the hallway. Their eyes widened in fear as they looked at each other in disbelief that the situation, did in fact, get worse.

_You made one mistake, Joel, and you're gonna pay for it. That god damn barn. _Joel thought to himself as he briefly closed his eyes.

The both of them were dead silent, but with each breath they took, they felt the clicker could somehow hear the air escaping their lungs. It let out a horrid screech and three clicks as it approached closer to the fire. Despite their attempts to remain silent, the crackle and pop from the fire was luring the clicker to the front of the fireplace. It stood directly in front and in between them as it lowered its head, swaying back and forth trying to locate its prey.

All of a sudden, Ellie began shaking her head. An itchy sensation rushed into her sinuses from the moldy and musky air that filled the room. She wasn't bothered by the contents of the room all evening, until now.

_Of course, it had to happen now. It had to happen, right, now. _She thought to herself.

She brought her hand up to cover her mouth and closed her eyes. She tried to will every fiber in her being to stop the oncoming sneeze, but it was too late. She was past the point of no return. Her head lifted and she did everything in her power to squelch the sound, but the slightest of squeaks escaped her nose.

Joel looked back at Ellie with a look of despair.

The clicker immediately responded to Ellie's sound, let out another screech and a series of furious clicks as it turned towards her. After hearing the sharp sounds of the clicker that now stood only two feet from Ellie, the clicks of the other one down the hall continued to get louder.

Joel knew he had to do something right this moment. Any more delaying and it was over.

Joel stomped his feet against the hardwood floor and yelled, "C'mere you piece of shit!" There was no way he was going to just sit and watch Ellie, his daughter, the most important person in his life, get torn to smithereens while he idly stood by and did nothing.

The clicker spun around, waved its arms wildly in the air and let out an ear piercing howl as it ran straight at Joel, bull rushing him against the wall. He quickly rose his forearm and placed it against its neck with all of his strength, keeping the vile creature's gnashing teeth at bay. He could hear its jaws chomping up and down as it continually cried out, salivating for the taste of his flesh. The unnatural strength that was granted to the Infected always caught him off guard, and this time was no different. He couldn't hold much longer and the second clicker was quickly making its way down the hall.

"Get the fuck off of him!" Ellie screamed as she charged straight towards the back of the monster.

Ellie leaped onto the clicker's back, switchblade in hand. She brought her blade high above her head then drove it deep into the creature's neck as hard as she could. She pulled the knife out then drilled the clicker through the side of the head.

Blood spurted in each direction and Joel quickly covered his face defensively. He did not share Ellie's natural gift of immunity, a single drop of Infected blood in any orifice could spell doom for him.

Ellie jammed her blade into the neck of the creature, ripping its throat from within, preventing it from letting out any final screams that would summon more Infected. She was taught well.

Joel scrambled to his feet and looked to his left.

"Ellie! Lookout!" he yelled.

There was no time, his paternal instincts kicked in and he lunged forward to throw her aside to safety. The second clicker was charging straight for him. He picked up the bowl they were drinking from earlier and threw it as hard as he could at the creature's fungal plated head.

The bowl shattered upon impact and the clicker recoiled, letting out a horrifying screech as it stumbled backwards. Without hesitation, Ellie seized the opportunity. She sprinted directly at the monster with her switchblade drawn. Just before the clicker finished recovering from Joel's throw, she lunged forward and threw all of her weight into her right arm, thrusting the knife deep into the creature's eye socket. It let out a cry of pain as she ripped the knife out only to immediately thrust it into the other side of the monster's head.

The front of Ellie's shirt was now soaked with blood, she rose to her feet after getting one last stab into the clicker and wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. She turned around, seeking Joel's eyes. Once his eyes caught hers, she let her legs give out as she dropped to the floor, leaning against the wall, panting so hard she was sure her lungs were about to burst from her chest.

Joel bent over and rested his hands on his knees, also out of breath. As he struggled to catch his breath, he commended Ellie.

"Shit... well done kiddo. Well done."

"You too," Ellie replied, also struggling through her panted breaths.

All of a sudden, more screaming echoed from the other end of the house. This time it was louder, more chaotic sounding, and the footsteps were at a much higher frequency.

"Fuck! Runners!" Ellie yelled.

Joel dove over to the couch where he left his shotgun. He turned to face the hallway and watched as three runners charged him from the other end. He calmly loaded two more shells into the chamber while simultaneously staring at the lead runner. The closer they were, the more damage the buckshot was going to do. He cycled the action on his shotgun, pointed and fired. Just before the first runner was within arms reach, it flew backwards as its torso was shredded from shrapnel.

Joel pumped the shotgun again, lifted the barrel and fired at the second runner. Its head exploded and the body fell limp to the floor. He fired his last shell, knocking the third runner against the wall.

The once beautiful country home was now covered with blood, bodies of the Infected, broken glass and bits of buckshot.

Joel let out a deep exhale and collapsed to the floor, leaning against the front of the couch gasping for air.

"Oh fuck! Jesus that - that was intense!" Ellie said through her rapid breaths as she crawled her way over to him.

"Ellie, you alright?" Joel asked, as she crawled up next to him.

"Yeah... yeah... I'm fine," she responded as she rested her head back against the couch.

"I don't hear nothin'... I reckon that's all of 'em."

Only the sound of the fire once again filled the living room, it was completely silent otherwise.

Joel tiredly reached out his hand and pat her on the head.

"Thanks for savin' me again," he said as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

"Just returnin' the favor," Ellie said with a smirk.

* * *

After obstructing the front and back doors with every piece of large furniture they could find, Ellie and Joel once again sat by the fire to calm their nerves. Not many words were said between the two of them as exhaustion was setting in. Ellie watched Joel run his fingers across his broken watch as he stared emptily into the fire for awhile before eventually breaking the silence with a joke from her pun book. Joel laughed, and natural conversation, which had now become so easy for them, sparked once again. As their eyelids began to feel the weight of the entire day, they retreated down the hall for sleep. Sleep that would finally take place in beloved beds.

Ellie insisted she did not want to sleep alone and implored Joel to stay with her. The king bed was big enough for both of them and they each took their respective sides. Joel lied on his back as usual, with one elbow bent and a hand behind his head. The pillows shared the same musky smell as the rest of the house, but they provided a delicate, cushioned touch that neither had experienced in a long time. Ellie lied on her side, facing Joel with only her head and one arm out from underneath the heavy duvet comforter.

She had changed into a different t-shirt so the other could dry from all the blood. She always slept in her jeans and her gray thermal covered with a t-shirt. It became a habit since it kept her warmer throughout the previous nights during winter. Joel did the same. He had his flannel shirt on along with his jeans to maintain heat that would otherwise escape even quicker in the cold house.

He again waited for Ellie to peacefully fall asleep before letting himself go. This time, though, it never seemed to happen. Right when he thought she was fully asleep, she would twitch, kick her leg or mumble a few words of stress as her mind would begin to dip into dreaming. He didn't understand, this was the most comfortable place either of them had slept in years. The bed was soft and the comforter was so warm that he forgot it was actually freezing outside. His only reasoning was that the life or death struggle they just endured must have taken a toll on her psyche, undoubtedly causing some sort of nightmare.

The things this little girl witnessed and had done for survival would have been considered horrific by society's standards twenty years ago. Both of them had seen so much and were so scarred, that each night consisted of a concoction of nightmares. Nightmares, that back then, Joel would swear could only be created from one's imagination.

All he could see of her was her arm and tiny hand resting outside of the duvet and her small, barely visible head gently resting on the pillow. Her usual stray lock of auburn hair wilted down her cheek and he could see it ever so slightly rise and fall with each breath she took. Eventually, she slowly raised her uncovered arm and felt the sheets near her, searching for his presence. With her eyes still closed, she frowned after a few seconds, realizing he wasn't close enough.

Joel sighed out of slight annoyance, but in reality he was happy he could be there for comfort.

_She saved your life again. _He thought to himself.

He realized that Ellie wasn't going to sleep alone for quite some time now. She needed him. He would be lying to himself, though, if he thought her presence didn't soothe him also. She brought him peace. She made him realize there was still something worth living for in the cruel world that made so many attempts to rob him of everything he had. He needed her.

He slid his way over and felt her small arm stretch across him. Ellie's frown immediately inverted. Joel looked down, noticed her tired smile and felt her muscles finally relax into the soft bed. He brought his hand over and pushed the lock of hair behind her ear. He gently glided the back of his knuckles along her cheek then affectionately ran his thumb over the scar above her eye. She felt his touch linger and nuzzled his hand with her nose as she gave way to another slight smile.

_My baby girl, _he thought as he grabbed her small hand, that had just finished slaying two clickers no more than an hour ago, and gently rubbed her tiny fingers.

She relished the affection. This was a relationship she never got to have throughout her whole life. Each person she thought could potentially fill that parental void had either abandoned her or died. It was at this very moment, she finally knew, he would never leave her. She would never end up alone. Ever.

Joel couldn't help but smile himself. His daughter, his second chance, his _purpose_ was snuggled up next to him. He started to think of Sarah, a touch of sadness filled him but it quickly faded when he realized his devotion to Ellie's well being originated from the same source which made him _love _Sarah. He wasn't betraying Sarah. He was doing quite the opposite, he was honoring his testament to protect his daughter. He thought, that somewhere, Sarah was happy with his decision and approved of his undying devotion to his daughter's life.

He closed his eyes and for the first time in twenty years, he felt completely at peace, just in this moment. He opened them back up only to see the most precious thing in the universe to him warm, soundly sleeping and completely safe. He clutched her tight with his free arm and kissed her on the forehead.

"G'night baby girl," he whispered.

He loved his daughter, and he was not going to fail her this time. Nothing was going to rip her away from him. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Long one here, but it gets intense. If one were to reference a few lines of dialogue from the Salt Lake chapter in the game, they might think I have stretched a bit and taken a creative liberty. One could interpret it that way, but I remember when I read one of Joel's responses I thought to myself that this most definitely could have happened. I would love to read your thoughts on this chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Morning had arrived, much to the chagrin of both of them. The bed was plush and the comforter provided a level of warmth neither had experienced in months. Morning meant they had to leave the wonderful entrapment made up of pillows, the blanket and each other. The sunrise was just beginning to encase the entire room with light as Joel slowly opened his eyes. He felt well rested after the best sleep he had since leaving Boston. The only discomfort he felt was the persistent ache from his stitched and healing wound. He turned his head towards Ellie, only to find she hadn't moved an inch from where she was lying when he kissed her goodnight. She was lightly snoring and remained snuggled in his embrace. The bruises around her neck had turned into a deep, purple color, with shades of blackish yellow at the edges. The sight of them still made him angry and his heart ache. He noticed the cuts along the bridge of her nose and cheeks were already starting to scab and it was apparent that no infection had formed in any of her gashes. He envied her body's ability to quickly heal its wounds, something which was a product of her remaining youth.

Joel sighed, as he again, gently brushed the nonconforming lock of hair back behind her ear.

He was torn. The survivalist in him implored him to get out of bed and begin the day. The plan was to reach Kremmling by late afternoon, which would be, from his estimates, about a nine hour trek. However, the father in him simply wanted to let Ellie sleep for another hour and he knew slipping away would wake her. She deserved every minute of sleep this morning. After all, she did save his life, in more ways than one.

_What if we said to hell with this... just went back to Tommy's... _He thought to himself, watching Ellie lie in the most peaceful sleep he'd ever seen from her.

It was a fleeting thought, but one that crossed his mind nonetheless. He gave into the paternal voice inside his head, closed his eyes and let Ellie sleep for a bit longer.

No more than fifteen minutes passed and Ellie started to wake from her slumber. She slightly shifted her legs beneath the blanket and let out a deep exhale. She smiled as she realized she remained within the protective confines of Joel's embrace and nuzzled up against his shoulder.

Joel felt her shift and looked down.

"Mornin' kiddo."

Ellie stretched her head up and grinned. "Mmmmm... good morning," she replied as she slowly opened her eyes, squinting from the sunlight that now bathed the room.

This time, she made no nonchalant attempt to awkwardly roll away as if she had done something wrong, like she did the other morning.

"You uhh... you slept like a rock. Feel good?" Joel asked.

Ellie nodded as she slowly propped herself up on one elbow. "Oh man yeah... I haven't slept like that in forever... that was awesome," she said as she gave way to a morning yawn.

Joel reached over and gently patted her on the ribs. "How's that rib holdin' up?"

Ellie's smile waned and a look of sadness filled her face as she was reminded of the horror with David. Although she was doing her best to move on, Joel had seen the same look a couple times over the past few days. She did such a good job of compartmentalizing her emotions from the entire experience, even if it damaged her to a non-repairable end, but occasionally her true feelings would slip through the cracks of her facade.

_He only asks because he cares. _Ellie thought to herself.

She moved her hand down to her ribs and rubbed them. "Better... a bit. Doesn't constantly ache as much, but sudden movements still hurt."

"Alright," Joel said with a nod, realizing he accidentally picked at an emotional scab.

Joel pushed himself up so he was resting his back against the headboard. Ellie flopped down and dove her head back into the pillow then looked up at him.

"What's the plan for today boss?" she jokingly said.

"Well - I'd like to reach a small town named Kremmling by late afternoon."

"Kremmling!?" Ellie asked with a loud tone. "First that New England crap, now a place called Kremmling? You people had the weirdest names for shit back then," she said with a slight laugh.

Joel snickered. "Hey - I didn't name 'em... weird as they sound."

"Alright - well... how far is it?"

"Reckon it'll be 'bout a nine hour walk... means we gotta get goin' here."

"Agghh - no! You're gonna make me move!? Why would you do that to me!?" she playfully cried out.

"Can't we stay here for just another hour? Please!? ... It's so comfy!" she pleaded as she drew herself deeper, back underneath the blanket.

_You're too damn cute. _Joel thought to himself.

He let out a sigh.

"Aight... fine. You can stay here for a bit while I pack things up - get us ready," he responded.

"But - Joel..." Ellie started, then stopped.

She wanted him to at least stay in the room. She didn't want him out of her sight, but was hesitant to let her neediness show. Little did she know he felt the same way.

He knew that look. It was the same look she gave him when they first arrived at Tommy's damn when he suggested her and Maria go eat while him and Tommy talked, thus separating them, by choice, for the first time since meeting back in Boston. He proactively answered, anticipating her next words, rescuing her from having to expose her vulnerability.

"I'll be right down the hall... I'll whistle the whole time, so ya know I'm there," Joel said.

Ellie sighed. "Fine."

Joel turned around and began to whistle as he strutted out the door and made his way to the living room. Ellie closed her eyes and focused on his whistling while she wrapped herself in a cocoon of the duvet.

As Joel walked down the hallway, his paranoia scratched at his mind.

_What if another clicker gets through the backdoor and finds her sleeping? _He thought to himself.

He knew it was a ridiculous thought, considering the barricade they created, but it crossed his mind regardless. He didn't like not having Ellie in his sight.

He shook his head, continued whistling and began packing up.

* * *

Joel finished packing and was ready to go as he leaned against the doorway to the bedroom. He noticed Ellie fell asleep again and heard her lightly snoring, happy to know his earlier paranoia was exactly that, paranoia, and nothing more. He wished he could just let her comfortably lie there, but it was time to leave. They needed to start their trek to Kremmling.

He walked over to the foot of the bed, grabbed the duvet and with one, swift motion pulled the entire blanket off the bed onto the floor, exposing Ellie to the frigid air that filled the room.

"Rise an' shine kiddo!" he exclaimed.

Ellie's eyes immediately shot open as every part of her body felt the sudden change in temperature. She lifted her head and scrunched her face at Joel.

"Oh god no! Why would you do that!?" she exclaimed as she playfully threw her pillow at him.

Joel laughed as he caught the oncoming pillow and dropped it to the floor.

"C'mon... we gotta get goin'... long day ahead of us."

"Ugh - I know... fine..." Ellie said with a sigh as she hopped off the bed, rubbed her eyes then began putting on her shoes.

As they entered the living room, Ellie observed the bodies of the dead Infected that littered the room from last night's struggle. The state of the blood covered living room reminded her of the irony that was present each and every day. On one end of the house, she slept in a beautiful room with a comfy king sized bed and on the other end was the stench of death and rotting flesh.

She noticed a silver object around the ring finger of one of the clickers as she approached its body. She knelt down and saw a ring, engraved with the characters J&amp;F. She glanced over to the other dead clicker and saw the same silver shine on its finger as well. She inspected the second ring and found the same characters, J&amp;F.

"Hey - Joel... look," she said as she looked up at him.

"What ya find?"

"These two... they - they have matching rings on their fingers," Ellie said in a somber tone.

Joel heaved a sigh.

"Yeah... I reckon the two of 'em probably were uhh... the married couple who lived here," he responded as he rubbed his beard.

"Man... that's - that's so sad..." Ellie said as she slowly rose to her feet.

"Joel..." Ellie started again.

"Mmhmm?" Joel replied.

"Do you... do you ever think about what these people were like... you know, before they became... this?" she asked as she pointed to the clicker's body.

Joel sighed again and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "I... I try not to... really try not to."

Ellie continued. "I mean these - these two right here... were married. They had emotions and... feelings, just like you and me. They were peo - " Ellie was interrupted by Joel before she could finish her sentence.

"That's it - right there Ellie... they _were_ people. They ain't no more."

Ellie looked down and sighed. "I know... it's just - it's sad."

Joel was slightly taken aback. After everything this little girl had been through, enough humanity remained within her that she could empathize with what the Infected used to be. People, just like them. He learned to mentally separate the two long, long ago. It was, in his opinion, the only way you survived and didn't go mad with insanity.

"Look... Ellie... you gotta - you gotta learn to separate the two," he said as he crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder against the wall.

"It's hard - trust me I know. Took me years... but - if ya can't... ya won't survive."

Ellie remembered what Sam said to her that night in Pittsburgh, just before he turned.

"What if - if those people... are trapped inside, aware of everything and saw -" she began to choke up. "Saw me kill them... end them for good."

"Then I reckon they saw you put 'em out of their misery," Joel half sarcastically said.

"Joel..." Ellie stammered.

"Yeah - yeah I know... sorry. Ya just - ya can't think that way."

He started to walk in her direction.

"That person... they ain't there anymore. It's just... just a monster straight from a nightmare and nothin' more. Ya gotta convince yourself of that. Ya have to," he said as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Ellie sighed again and looked up at him. "I know... you're right... sorry it's - it's just har - "

"I know it's hard. Trust me," Joel said, finishing her statement.

"Yeah," she said in agreement.

After a few seconds of silence, Joel turned around and began to walk towards the front door right as Ellie spoke up once more.

"Hey Joel."

"Yeah?" he responded as he turned back around to face her.

"I just want you to know that..." She paused for a second and stared him in the eyes. "That I'm really glad you're here... with me."

Joel cracked a smile.

"Me too kiddo... me too," he responded as he patted her on the shoulder.

That was the closest they ever came to expressing their importance to each other in a concrete manner.

"C'mon... let's get goin."

"Yeah."

* * *

After a long and slow nine hour hike, the two weary travelers finally approached the town of Kremmling. Luckily, the sky was crystal clear throughout the day, a stark contrast from yesterday, while the sun glared down on them and the white snow. Eventually both of them removed their jackets as they were beginning to bake from the combination of the sun and physical exertion required to march through the thick snow.

"I reckon we've made it," Joel said to Ellie, pointing to a sign on the side of the road.

"Kremmling city limits... population one thousand, three hundred and ninety," Ellie said out loud as she read the sign.

"Uhh Joel... isn't that tiny... the population I mean?" she asked.

"Reckon it is."

The town had an extremely quaint and rural feel, as small, one story houses lined the streets. A few snow covered, abandoned trucks and cars sat in the road. There was a gas station on one corner and a building that used to be a bar across from it. The entire town was empty and dead silent. The only thing they could hear was the sound of the wind rushing by their ears.

"Hell... this a ghost town if I've ever seen one," Joel said as they strolled towards the gas station.

"A what?" Ellie asked.

"Ghost town... means completely empty - void of life."

"Do Infected count?" Ellie pointedly asked.

"I reckon they do... an' that's what I'm sayin' - I don't see any Infected either - empty."

Ellie sighed. "I'm sure their around here somewhere."

"Yeah... reckon you're right... c'mon, let's take a look in that gas station."

The gas station had a small store to the left of all the pumps. Ellie and Joel tiptoed up to the door and peered inside.

"Looks empty to me... you?" Joel said.

"Same," Ellie replied.

They went inside and found what remained of the store's contents strung across the floor. The once white linoleum floor was almost a dark brown, as dirt and bits of ceiling littered the surface. They found all sorts of items, ranging from paper towels, to engine oil, old packs of cigarettes, magazines and a few bags of beef jerky, which were completely rotted at this point.

Joel picked up one of the bags of jerky, noticing the grotesque mold growing over it and heaved a sigh, "What a waste," then tossed it aside.

"What a bunch of useless crap," Ellie said as she knelt down, still sifting through the sprawling pile of junk.

"I know... just - just keep lookin'... gotta be somethin' of use in here," Joel said.

All of the comestible items were cleared out long ago, as the fridge which would normally be full of alcohol and other fizzy beverages, was bone dry. The shelves, which should have been stocked with candy bars, chips and other snacks, were completely barren.

Joel began sifting through the large pile of newspapers and magazines.

"Hey Ellie - found another one of 'em comics you been readin'," he yelled across the room.

"Oh cool! I'll read it later," she responded excitedly.

They made their way to separate corners of the store, hoping to find something, anything of value. Ellie bent down, as a small, bright red container caught her attention. It was covered up by some rotted food and a few more magazines. She picked it up and quietly read the label to herself.

"Folgers Classic Roast Coffee." Excitement filled her and a big grin spread across her face.

_Yes! He will love this!_ She thought to herself. She stealthily placed it in her backpack, wanting to surprise Joel later.

Joel was just about to give up, when he noticed a small, white and blue box hidden behind some newspapers in the corner. He reached over and his eyes widened with surprise.

"Well I'll be damned," he said as he opened the box.

"Hey Ellie! C'mere - found somethin'."

Ellie ran over to him, curious to inspect his findings.

"Take a look," he said as he handed her the box.

She read the label out loud. "Hostess Twinkies." She peered inside, reached in and pulled out one of the golden treats.

"Okay... seriously... what the fuck are these? And... how the hell do they still look...totally fine..." she asked with confusion as her voice trailed off.

Joel started to laugh. "Well - those there are Twinkies. They're like a... uhh... sugary pastry filled with whip cream. Most kids loved 'em - disgusting as hell though," he said.

"Really? Alright... and why does it still look... brand new?"

Joel laughed again, realizing how absurd these things really were.

"So... back in my day people always said when the world would end, only two things would remain. Roaches and Twinkies... an' I'll be damned but so far they were right."

"What!? How?" Ellie asked as she rose her voice.

"Hell - I dunno to be honest. Tons of uhh... chemicals and preservatives I guess."

"That can't be good for you..." Ellie said.

"It ain't - reckon you're right... but it's somethin' to eat and we can't really be picky - go on then. Try one," Joel implored.

"Alright... it's not gonna... kill me or anything right?" Ellie said with a smirk.

Joel let loose another boisterous laugh. "No - no... just try the damn thing - you'll be alright."

Ellie carefully opened the plastic wrapper that encased one of the Twinkies and cautiously examined it. She brought it to her mouth and took a bite. The overpowering sweetness flooded her taste buds as her eyes lit up. She slowly began to chew, increasing the speed as she realized how tasty the golden, nuclear treat was. She took another big bite and spoke with her mouth full.

"Damn... vis is pretty fuckin' tashety."

"Told ya," Joel said.

Ellie quickly finished off the rest, then licked her fingertips.

"But I get what you mean by the disgusting part... it - it kinda was," she said with a sheepish smile.

"Yep, they sure are," he snickered.

They looked out the windows and saw the sun beginning its descent.

"C'mon - we still need to find a place to sleep," Joel said.

Ellie nodded and they headed out the door in search of a safe place to rest.

* * *

After searching for about an hour, they decided on a small house two blocks down from the main street. Joel always said to never sleep on the main street of any town, as it only risked more danger. The town continued to impress them with how barren and empty it was, although they did find a few Infected while they were searching. There weren't many, though, and it wasn't anything the two of them couldn't handle with ease.

They killed a few runners, one clicker and then simply had to sneak past a second clicker just after turning onto the street in which they were staying for the night. Joel barricaded the front door, the only door, with an old bookcase and couch. This house paled in comparison, in terms of quality and glamour, to the large, remodeled country home they stumbled upon yesterday. The walls, which were originally white, had a moldy yellow tinge to them as dark brown stains accented areas near the ceiling and windows due to years of water damage. The windows were covered with dust, preventing anyone from being able to look out, or even in. The hardwood floor was a dark, walnut color covered with scratches and it creaked at ever step.

Despite its flaws, though, the house had a fireplace, a queen sized mattress in a small bedroom just off the living room and it protected them from the winter weather. It was exactly what they needed and although they weren't in awe of the furnishings and finishes, the fact that it only had one entrance seemed to make up for it. After they cleared through the house, deeming it safe, Joel immediately went to work on making a fire while Ellie sat and read her newly discovered comic.

"Aww man... another stupid cliffhanger! I hate that..." Ellie said as she put down the book.

Joel finished with the fire awhile ago and was now spacing off into it, rubbing his fingers over his broken watch again. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear Ellie speak.

Ellie noticed he didn't hear her and again took note of his fingers fiddling with his watch. She now understood that the watch was indeed sentimental in value. She even figured out it had something to do with Sarah, she just wasn't sure how. She no longer had questions about the watch itself, instead, she had questions of its origins and meaning. She had questions about Sarah.

"Joel?" Ellie asked as she tugged on his sleeve.

"Oh - damn, sorry kiddo - I was lo - " Joel started to say, then was interrupted.

"It's okay... no need to apologize - I do it too," Ellie said, remembering his comment to her the other day.

"Right," he said, then messed with her hair.

Ellie's stomach growled.

"Reckon you're hungry... you wanna eat?" he asked.

"Apparently," Ellie replied with giggle.

"Alright... well - let's see what we got here," Joel said as he began sifting through his pack.

"Got here some - christ - more goddamn peaches... and uhh... some tomato paste and another can of those mandarin oranges ya liked."

"Done! Oranges!" Ellie stated with emphasis.

"Also got more of those Twinkies," Joel said half-jokingly with a smirk.

"Pssht - one a day at most... any more and I'd probably turn into one. Is that what you want, Joel? You want me to turn into a Twinky!?" she playfully joked.

Joel let out a laugh. "Ya got me... what can I say- my plan all along."

"Alright then - oranges it is."

He cracked open the can and they took turns scooping handfuls of oranges into their mouths until it was empty.

"Damn... those things are so good," Ellie said.

"Mmhmm... Sarah always loved it when I bought 'em."

Ellie again saw Joel touch his watch as he said Sarah's name. She knew her earlier hypothesis was correct.

A quiet lull filled the space between them as Joel's face took a turn of somberness. Ellie's brain was commanding her not to pry, not to ask about Sarah, but her heart willed her otherwise.

"Joel..." she started.

"Yep?"

"How did... how did Sarah die?"

Joel took a long, deep breath and stared into the fire. He didn't respond for what felt like an eternity to Ellie. She immediately wished she could have pulled the words back and regretted asking the pointed question, but part of her was also intrigued to hear his response.

"I'm - I'm sorry... I shouldn't of - "

"It was uhh... my birthday. I'll never forget that," Joel began as he adjusted his posture. He leaned against the wall, with his knees bent upward and rested his elbows on them as his hands loosely dangled in front of his shins.

"I had to work late - Tommy and I were in the middle of a big job - really needed the money." He cleared his throat. Ellie straightened her back, intently watching his every motion and listening to his every word. He had her full, undivided attention.

"Finally got home... I dunno exactly when but it was way past her bedtime. She - she fell asleep on the couch watchin' T.V, but I think I woke her up while I was talkin' to Tommy on the phone." He reached up and scratched his beard.

"I grabbed the remote... changed the channel and sat down next to her - told her it was past her bedtime." Joel let out a faint laugh. "She gave off like a uhh... fake attempt at sincerity, as if she weren't fully aware of how late it was. I thought it was cute - reckon she stayed up so she could give me my birthday gift." Joel gripped his watch tightly with his right hand and gritted his teeth, struggling to hold back the tears that he knew, eventually, would inevitably arrive.

"She got me this watch - right here." A slight smile appeared on Joel's face and Ellie tried to smile too, even though she could sense where this was going. Or so she thought.

"I made some dumb joke 'bout it... being broken or somethin' - she got all worried." He began to vigorously rub his fingers through his beard, as if to stimulate a different set of nerve endings to take his brain's focus off of the sting of tears that was becoming too strong to ignore.

"I asked her how she - " He let out a cough then continued. "How she came up with the money for it - said she started sellin' hardcore drugs." Joel gave way to a wounded laugh, which slightly eased the tension of the room. He sniffled, then continued. "I said great, you can help out with the mortgage then... or somethin' like that." Both him and Ellie let out an awkward, quiet laugh. Even though Ellie didn't know what the word mortgage even meant.

"She fell back asleep on the couch and I carried her up to bed - wished her good night. Then no more than ohh- maybe 'bout thirty minutes later, I heard a ruckus goin' on over next door."

Ellie gulped, she knew what was next.

"Jimmy - Jimmy Cooper, he - he was the first infected person I saw." He cleared his throat again.

"He was the first person I'd ever killed... and Sarah - " He started to cry as he couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

"Sarah she - she saw me do it. She watched me shoot him." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and let out another sniffle.

Ellie sat completely still, giving Joel a level of attention he'd never seen from her.

"Poor girl... she - she looked so damn terrified."

"You shot him... I saw him this mornin'... was all she said to me. I told her he was sick - an' that we needed to get outta there." At this point tears began to stream down his cheeks. He made no attempt to hide them anymore and simply let them fall to the ground.

"Tommy showed up... we hopped in his car and tried to make our way outta town." Joel gulped, knowing the recap of the events he was about to describe may kill him.

"We got in a wreck - hit by a truck or somethin'... I wasn't totally sure. We were alright, I popped the windshield open to get out. Sarah she - " He brought his hand to his face as he let out a sob.

"She was so goddamn strong. Poor girl broke her leg - she wasn't even cryin'. I asked her if she could walk - she said it hurt pretty bad so I picked her up - carried her."

Ellie shifted her posture, but like Joel, it was merely a way of providing a distraction for her nerves that were also beginning to feel the swelling of tears. She had never seen Joel like this, ever. She had never seen him cry. It hurt her to see him in so much pain.

"We had to run - mob of Infected runnin' right for us. I remember - I remember tellin' her - look at me baby, just look at me. Don't look away." Joel gave way to another intense sob as more tears poured from his eyes.

"We had to run through this alley... get away from the pack - found a building to pass through. Tommy - bless his heart, stayed back with my revolver to hold 'em off... just long enough so I could get out with Sarah."

"I ran down this trail - tryin' to find help or someone to just - just keep her safe while I went back for Tommy." Joel lowered his head and stared at the ground and gave a long pause before he continued, taking multiple deep breaths. He wiped his face with his sleeve and forged on, dreading the last part he was about to share with Ellie.

"Finally found a soldier. He told us to stop - stop right there. He had his rifle pointed at us."

Ellie's eyes widened and a look of horror filled her face. This entire time she thought Sarah had perished at the hands of the Infected. Never, in her worst nightmares, did she ever imagine it could be what Joel was about to say.

"I told him we - we aren't sick... we aren't sick..." he repeated as he stared into the ground. He brought both hands to his face, bracing himself for the worst part.

"I said it's - it's my daughter... I think her leg is broken... he was just talkin' into his radio... then I heard him say yes sir."

"He raised his rifle and he - he just fired away. I tried to turn and roll down the hill to protect Sarah. Tommy, he - he some how found us an' put one right in that bastard's head... he - he saved me."

Joel couldn't contain himself any longer, he loudly moaned and began to violently sob as tears poured from his bloodshot eyes.

"It was - it was too late. He hit her... that piece of shit shot her. He shot my baby girl," he said with a stutter as he struggled through his chest aching sobs.

"I picked her up - held her in my arms. I - I told her everything was gonna be okay... oh god... there was so much blood. I'll never - I'll never forget the squeal of pain she made as she clutched my hand - that sound... it's - it's haunted me ever since. Sarah, my daughter, she - she died right in my arms, Ellie. I watched her die. I watched her breathe her last breath. I watched my baby girl die right in my arms."

Joel finally finished recapping his personal hell and completely gave into the despair and sadness that overcame him. He let himself uncontrollably sob as his tears formed a small puddle on the floor beneath him. Ellie began to cry and felt a tear run down each cheek. She had never seen him so distraught.

She crawled over to him and wiggled her way in between his legs and underneath his arms that were resting on his knees. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck and clutched him. She couldn't even bring herself to say any words, not even an "I'm sorry." She felt for him. She wanted to be there for him like he was for her. She squeezed him even tighter and could feel him return her embrace with his as he let out another intense sob.

"Oh god Ellie... I can't - I can't do that again." He said as his tears began to stain her shirt. They sat in silence and held each other for a few minutes until Joel could collect himself. Only the sound of his weeping filled the room and he finally lifted his head up from Ellie's tiny shoulder, looking straight into her eyes.

"Ellie - " he started, then stopped.

"I'm here - I'm here," she responded.

He let out one last big sniffle as Ellie reached her sleeve up to his face to wipe away the remaining tears from his cheeks.

"I'm not losing you. You mean - you mean too damn much to me - you have no idea..."

_I do have an idea. _Ellie thought to herself. He meant as much to her as she did to him. She was experiencing polar opposite emotions at the same time. On one hand she was aching for him, distraught to see the person who had been her rock, her foundation, _her father, _the person who saved her life so many times, in such pain. On the other, her heart fluttered and her stomach tickled upon finally hearing him say what she meant to him.

Joel clutched her tighter, and pressed his face against the side of her head, digging his nose into her hair. Her presence was soothing. Even though she hadn't washed her hair in months, its scent had become so familiar, it would always remind him of how attached he became to this little girl. His daughter. It comforted him.

"Ellie I - I lo - oh goddamn..." Joel said as he winced one last time in emotional distraught. He was about to say it. Ellie was about to hear something that no one had ever said to her, but he didn't finish his thought. It was okay, he didn't have to. She knew. He knew.

She simply pulled his head back to her shoulder and felt the scruff of his beard scratch against her cheek as they once again embraced. This was completely foreign territory for Ellie, she had never tried to comfort someone in so much pain before. She felt slightly awkward, and was afraid she might say something wrong, or somehow make it worse by speaking. She simply thought her presence was enough to ease his pain and she was right.

"God dammit - look at me kiddo... I'm a giant mess," Joel said, as he ran his fingers over his eyes that were sore from working overtime.

"It's okay - it's just me," Ellie responded with a smile as she wiped away tears of her own.

A few seconds of silence went by as they just looked at each other.

"I reckon it's 'bout time we get some sleep... I'm dead," he said as he let out one last sniffle.

Ellie nodded, they grabbed their packs and headed for the room with the mattress.

"Alright, I'll take the floor with the blanket an' you take the mattress with the sleepin' bag - reckon it'll be warmer for ya."

Ellie sighed, slightly annoyed he was so persistent at staying apart. She couldn't tell, though, if it was him being distant or if it was him respecting her space.

"Okay," she simply said.

Within minutes of them lying down in their respective positions, Ellie pulled herself out of the sleeping bag and slid off the mattress onto the floor. She tucked herself under the blanket and nuzzled up against his arm. He didn't say a word in protest.

He simply brushed the usual lock of hair behind her ear, kissed her goodnight and said the same thing he did the night before.

"G'night baby girl."


	9. Chapter 9

It was early in the morning and the crest of the sun was barely visible over the horizon as the first sliver of light illuminated the ground outside. Ellie was awake, which was unusual, as she normally slept much later than Joel. Regardless, she felt well rested from the undisturbed night's sleep. Despite lying on the hardwood floor, she dozed off quickly when snuggled with Joel under the blanket and didn't wake up once during the night. Her ribs were becoming much less sore and sudden movements no longer triggered a lash of pain through her torso.

She looked up to see Joel sleeping and loudly snoring. She felt the weight of his arm that remained wrapped around her, as it had been throughout the night. She rubbed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She thought about the events from last night, how emotional he was, the pain that effused from his face when he finally opened up to her and shared the darkest moment in his life. The watch made complete sense now. It was the only physical reminder of Sarah he had and he wasn't letting it go, even if it was broken. Ellie felt slightly guilty, in a way, for sparking the conversation in the first place. However, a part of her felt it brought the two of them even closer and strengthened their bond. The experience made her realize that he, metaphorically, slit his wrists in front of her and openly expressed the most vulnerable side of him. It made her think that, she too, would eventually be able to share her darkest moment. David. She quickly moved on to a different topic, as the name sent a shiver down her spine. She refocused her attention on Joel soundly sleeping next to her.

_I have an idea!_ Ellie thought to herself in excitement.

She remembered the coffee she found on the floor at the gas station the day before. She wanted to surprise Joel with it this morning. She was going to make an attempt to brew coffee for the first time in her life. In reality she didn't know where to start, but she remembered Joel briefly mentioning how it was done while they were riding from Tommy's to the university.

Ellie slowly and carefully slithered her way out from underneath Joel's arm. She felt him twitch and heard him mumble something just as she rose to her feet from the blanket. She scrunched her face, closed her eyes and prayed she didn't wake him. He continued snoring and rolled his head to other side of the pillow, easing her worry.

She tiptoed into the living room and rummaged through her backpack until she found the red canister of Folgers. She flipped the can around and inspected every part of it, looking for any sort of instructions hoping that in combination with Joel's input, she could solve this mystery known as brewing coffee.

"Okay... I just need hot water. I can do that... I got this. How hard can it be?" Ellie quietly said to herself.

After rekindling the fire from the night before, she poured the rest of her drinking water from her canteen into a pot and waited for it to warm as she gazed out the window, watching the morning sunrise.

* * *

Joel's eyes shot open as he gasped for air. He was panting and sweaty from the vivid dream that his brain pulled him out of. It was a bizarre dream, one that involved both Sarah and Ellie. He felt completely discombobulated as he glanced around the room, trying to pull himself back to reality. He didn't feel the familiar warmth and weight of Ellie's little frame sidled up against him, something he became accustomed to. He frantically patted his arm on the floor around him and felt nothing. He shot his head up from the pillow and looked around the room in a panicked state.

Adrenaline began to pump into his heart, expediting the waking process. He feared the worst, as horrible scenarios began shooting through his mind. She got up to relieve herself in the middle of the night and was attacked. She's dead somewhere, mauled and maimed from a pack of clickers, or worse, hunters. Hunters found her and were doing things to her that made her wish she was dead. He thought, that just maybe, he scared her with his heartfelt confession from the night before and she sneaked away.

_No, no, no. This can't be. _He thought to himself as he attempted to rub the remaining tiredness from his eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, the faintest aroma filled his nose. It was an aroma he hadn't smelled in forever. The smell immediately triggered memories, memories of before the outbreak, as the nerve endings in his brain rapidly fired in reaction to the familiar aroma.

_Coffee. _He thought to himself.

He was worried, confused and excited all at the same time and wondered if he was still dreaming. He rose to his feet and called out for Ellie.

"Ellie!"

No response.

"What in the hell - " he quietly said to himself. He stepped into the living room, only to see a steaming pot over the fire and Ellie sitting cross legged in front of the dust covered window, gazing at the beautiful sunrise. The adrenaline immediately dissipated and he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ellie!" he said again as he tapped her on the shoulder.

She jumped from the contact, clearly lost in her own head, as she didn't hear him call her name the first time.

"Gah! You scared me!" she said.

"Sorry kiddo... I uhh... what - what's goin' on here?"

"Well... first off, good morning to you too..." she said.

Joel rubbed his hand through her hair. "Yeah... mornin'."

Ellie smiled. "Secondly... I have a surprise for you." She said as she pointed to the pot. "I made you - well I tried to make you... coffee," Ellie beamed with pride.

"Ellie - how... where did you -"

Ellie pulled out the red canister of Folgers. "Look... found it back at the gas station. I wanted to surprise you," she said sheepishly.

"Well - damn kiddo I - I... you sure as hell did. I... don't know what to say."

"Here, it's done. Try it, c'mon!" Ellie implored with excitement.

"I reckon I will."

Joel grabbed an old cup that was sitting in the sink and dipped it into the dark liquid. He brought it to his nose and closed his eyes as he took a big whiff of the wonderful aroma that emanated from its surface. He took the first sip and immediately relished the almost forgotten flavor that fell over his taste buds. The coffee was old and had lost some of its potency, but it didn't matter. He swallowed then gave a big smile of satisfaction.

"Ahhhh... goddamn that's good."

"Yeah!? You like it?" Ellie asked, looking for approval.

"Sure do - it's great. Thank ya."

Ellie again smiled and hugged him as she pressed her head against his waist. Joel patted her on the head as he took another sip of his hot morning beverage. He let out another satisfactory sigh, enjoying every ounce. Drinking coffee, whilst in the presence of his daughter, triggered pleasant memories of Saturday mornings with Sarah and he relished experiencing the same thing with Ellie.

_My baby girl. _He thought to himself.

"Okay... I'll bite... let me try some. I gotta see what all the fuss is about," Ellie said as she reached for his cup, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Ellie grabbed it from his hand, brought it to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes widened and she immediately spat it out.

"Blech! What the fuck Joel!? What is wrong with you!? This shit is disgusting... I - I can't believe anyone could fuckin' enjoy that!" Ellie said in appall, raising her voice in confusion.

Joel belted out a laugh. "Acquired taste kiddo... oh well - more for me," he said as he grabbed the cup from Ellie and took another sip.

"Ugh - I guess so... man... that was nasty. People used to drink that shit?"

"All the damn time... coffee in the morning became 'bout as standard as sleepin'. Closest thing to fuel for the human body I reckon."

"Wow," Ellie said in surprise.

Joel finished off his coffee and put the empty cup in his pack.

"Alright - let's get goin' we lots more road ahead of us."

Ellie nodded and they began packing their things.

* * *

They had been walking for many hours and the sun was high in the afternoon sky. The weather was kind, once again, as there wasn't a cloud in sight. The ambient temperature was still rather low and the wind was strong, but the warmth of the direct sunlight counteracted it. Since leaving the town limits of Kremmling, Joel hadn't said much. He was self-conscious, constantly thinking about his brutal honesty and confession he displayed to Ellie the night before. Ellie found his quietness troubling and wasn't sure how to handle it. She didn't know why he was so somber, but made multiple attempts to engage in conversation. Normally, she was the quiet one and he was the one trying to lighten the mood. She even read off a few jokes from her pun book, hoping to fish out any kind of reaction from him. She only got a few muffled laughs, which sufficed for the time being.

The road before them started to steeply ascend and they noticed at the apex of the hill, a sharp, blind turn to the left. To the right of the road, at the top of the hill, was a guardrail that bordered a vista point looking over the valley below. To the left, stretched a plateau of land filled with bushes and small trees covered in snow.

After climbing to the top, Joel strutted over to the guardrail and rested his hands on it. He caught is breath and took in the amazing view of the valley beneath him.

"Hey Ellie... c'mere. Look at this," he said, motioning his hand to beckon her over.

Ellie was glad to finally hear him talk on his own and not merely respond to her with a one word answer. She jogged over to the guardrail and, like Joel, rested her hands on the edge as she observed the view.

"Wow... look at that view. Can't beat that huh?" she said, turning her head to face him.

"Nope."

They both took a deep breath and felt the intensity of the wind pick up. The brisk feeling of it rushed against their faces and hair. The wind left a biting, cold feeling against their cheeks, but was also refreshing at the same time.

"Joel..."

"Yep?"

"I umm... as you would say... gotta take a leak," Ellie said sheepishly as she blushed.

Joel laughed.

"Soundin' more like me every day... well - go behind those bushes there on the other side an' find yourself a spot. Ain't no one around. I'll be here."

Ellie nodded, headed across the road and ventured far over the plateau until she felt comfortably in private, although she was nervous to be this far from Joel.

A few minutes went by and Joel could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching behind him.

"Better?" he yelled, still looking forward, expecting Ellie to re-appear next to him.

He felt the familiar feel of a gun barrel, pressed against his back and heard a voice that was much, much deeper than Ellie's.

"Put your hands where I can see 'em."

* * *

"I said, put your hands where I can see 'em mother fucker!"

Joel slowly lifted himself off of the guardrail and raised his hands behind his head.

"Turn around... slowly! Lemme see your face!"

He turned around and saw three men, hunters, surrounding him. One was carrying a baseball bat, one had a pistol holstered at his side and the other, who had him at gunpoint, was wielding a standard hunting rifle. Joel was surprised they didn't shoot him on sight.

"Take off your pack... open it up. Show me what you got!" the hunter with the rifle said.

Joel slid his pack off and knelt down to open it up. He lifted it wide open, displaying the contents contained inside.

"You alone?" the hunter asked.

Joel nodded. "Yep," he said, praying they didn't see Ellie's small foot prints in the snow going across the road.

"Alright... sit down, right there... and slide that bag of yours over."

Joel obliged, pushed his bag to the three hunters then sat down with his hands supporting his weight behind him.

"Hector, go on, check it out," the hunter said, motioning the tip of his rifle towards the bag.

The hunter wielding the bat knelt down and began sifting through Joel's things.

The lead hunter spoke again. "Where you comin' from? A town? There food there?"

"Better be... for your sake. I'm fucking starvin'," the hunter with the pistol said.

Joel lifted his head and could see Ellie peaking around the bushes on the other side of the road. He quickly averted his gaze from her and back to the three men, worried he would alert them of her presence.

"I said, where you comin' from fuck face!?"

"Uhh... Kremmling. Kremmling - it's a small town down the road that way. There's a bunch of supplies - can take ya there if ya like," Joel said as he pointed down the road. He had to keep them thinking they needed him, otherwise, he was dead.

Ellie sat behind the bushes, partly frustrated with herself that she left Joel alone and partly relieved the hunters didn't know she even existed. She drew her pistol and loaded it quietly.

"Alright... get up ass hole... slowly! You're comin' with us. You lie to me... and I swear you're a dead man. Scout's honor."

Joel simply nodded and started to rise to his feet when he noticed Ellie, pistol in hand, aiming towards the hunter with the rifle. He readied himself for what was about to come next.

_Okay, Ellie, you got this. C'mon, take a deep breath... and make it count. _Ellie thought to herself as she lurched her finger over the trigger.

_Pop - Pop!_

Ellie fired two bullets into the head of the lead hunter. Blood spurted out from his neck and head region as his body collapsed to the ground.

"Agh! - What the fuck!?" the other two yelled, looking around frantically.

Just as the second hunter reached for his holstered pistol, Joel immediately dove into him, pinning him on the ground. The third hunter picked up his bat and ran straight for Joel, who was now kneeling over his companion in the snow.

Ellie came running across the road.

_Pop - Pop!_

She fired two more shots, hitting the hunter with the bat in the chest as he recoiled in pain and fell backwards to the ground. Blood rapidly flowed from his chest, saturating the snow with a deep, dark red color.

"Joel!" she yelled.

Joel was engaged in a battle of pure strength with the last one. The hunter was trying to forcefully point his pistol at Joel's head, while Joel gripped his hands, putting all of his strength into pushing the gun back in his direction.

"Ellie! Stay there!" he yelled.

Ellie obeyed and stopped in her tracks. She couldn't get a clear shot since Joel was towering over him. She was frozen, she didn't know what to do and simply watched the struggle for life between Joel and the hunter. Only one was coming out alive.

Both of them continually let out grunts of exertion as they willed the pistol in one direction then another. The hunter let loose a loud yell, as he gave everything he had one last time, pushing the gun towards Joel's head. He got close, but not close enough. Then, his muscles tensed and gave out. He had nothing left.

Joel started slowly pushing back, creeping the pistol closer and closer towards the hunter's head as his strength overpowered the man's arms. He knew it was over, he lost, his eyes began to widen and he looked at Joel as if to beg for mercy. Joel kept pushing and pushing, gritting his teeth as the barrel of the pistol was now merely centimeters from the hunter's head. He slid his thumb over the hunter's finger which was wrapped around the trigger.

"No! No! Plea - "

Joel pressed his thumb down.

_Bang!_

He felt the man's body immediately go limp. All resistance he was feeling disappeared as the hunter's arms flopped to the ground. A large spray of skull, brains and blood sprawled on the other side of the hunter's head as his eyes emptily gazed towards the sky.

Joel collapsed, lying on his back and panting to catch his breath. Ellie ran over to him, knelt down and held his shoulder.

"Oh shit! Joel! Joel are - are you okay!?"

He let out a deep exhale.

"Yeah - yeah... I'm - I'm alright," he responded through his tired breaths as he stared up at the sky. The touch of the cold snow beneath him felt good on his sweaty and warm skin as his adrenaline began to recede.

"Oh man... fuck that was intense," Ellie said through short breaths as she lowered her forehead to his chest.

She stood up, held out her hand and helped Joel to his feet. He collected the bullets from the hunter's rifle and quickly rounded up all of his things, then slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"C'mon kiddo... we gotta move. There'll be more soon... lots more. There always are."

He reached out, grabbed Ellie's hand and the two of them hastily made their way down the hill.

She didn't let go and gripped his hand tighter.


	10. Chapter 10

"Missin' that horse right about now," Joel said with a tired tone.

"You mean Callus?" Ellie responded somberly, but with a hint of humor knowing the name still annoyed him.

Joel sighed.

"Yeah... Callus. Good horse... still hate that name though."

"Pssht - whatever... one of us had to name him. But yeah I - I miss him too."

They had been walking for four days since running into the hunters outside of Kremmling. According to the map, Steamboat Springs was the next checkpoint along their journey. It should have only been a two day trek on foot, but the weather worsened and the road began to climb in elevation, slowing their pace to a crawl. They were lucky to not find much resistance during those four days, a few infected here and there but nothing more. At this point, the primary concern and source of resistance came from the difficult terrain coupled with the weather.

Just before sundown each day, they set up their tent and cuddled in the sleeping bag to keep warm. Joel finally stopped pitching his usual disclaimer before going to sleep, that Ellie would get her own space while he slept in the colder, less comfortable spot. Now, without a word from either of them, she would snuggle into the sleeping bag with him, curling up next to him as he kept her warm.

For the majority of the time, the two were in relatively high spirits considering the circumstances and enjoyed the natural conversation that always spawned between them. Joel even made a few attempts to crack jokes of his own, most of which flopped, but a few pulled a giggle out of Ellie. However, the four days of travel had them weary and exhaustion would occasionally set into their bones, making even the simple act of speaking a chore. It was during these moments that both of them would reflect on everything that transpired over their journey. Now, was one of these moments.

After their short back and forth about Callus, both became quiet and were lost in their thoughts.

Ellie could no longer feel the throbbing ache in her ribs, although she knew the bone was still healing. No more were breathing or laughing actions which caused her pain. She thought about her scarring experience back at the restaurant, with the monster, David. The bruises around her neck were no longer a dark purple and black, but now merely a faint yellow as her skin returned to its natural color. The cuts and gashes along her nose and cheeks were mostly healed and all that persisted was one tiny scab. It wasn't the only scab that remained, however, for the emotional scab from her horrific experience lingered as she slowly mended. She wanted to share with Joel that extremely dark moment in her life, as he had shared with her. She just couldn't do it. It was bubbling on the surface, but had yet to boil over. Eventually, she knew it would spill and she would tell him, she simply didn't know when or how.

Despite her wonderful realization a few nights prior, cuddled in his embrace, that she would never end up alone, that he would never leave her, she still hesitated to tell him. Her hesitation was rooted in their conversation at the ranch house, after she ran off with one of Tommy's horses. She remembered how hurt she felt when she realized that Joel was about to get rid of her, leave her, abandon her. He was about to let her down, like every other person in her life. She would have ended up alone, her worst fear. She remembered his torturous statement, "you're not my daughter, and I sure as hell ain't your dad." Just recalling those words brought tears to her eyes. Did he really still feel that way? Her experience with David was something so personal, so traumatic, she would only share it with someone who was exceptionally close to her. Someone close to her like a loving father.

_But he finally gave in. He told me how important I was. He almost said the words, I love you. _She thought to herself.

She knew he regarded her as his daughter, protected her like his daughter and cared for her like his daughter. She thought about all the times he could have simply left her to die, but never did. She remembered feeling completely vulnerable after her darkest moment and how caring he was when he could have been coldly dismissive. She remembered the night in the country home, when he kissed her goodnight. This man, who's heart had turned to ice, who was nothing more than a cold-blooded killer, tenderly clutched her as if she were one of his own. She vividly remembered each and every instance he called her _baby girl_, moments she would never forget. She remembered feeling the affectionate touch of his rough and callused hand, a hand big enough to crush the life out of her little frame at any moment. But he never would, he would never hurt her. She remembered feeling warm, completely safe, unafraid and most importantly, for the first time in her life, _loved_. She was ninety-nine percent of the way there when it came to completely letting him in, but couldn't get over the last hump.

Joel, engrossed in his thoughts as well, reflected on how lucky he was to be given a second chance. How lucky he was to finally have _purpose _again for the first time in twenty years. He completely accepted Ellie as his daughter and moreover, he realized he loved her like his daughter. He didn't know how to express it, as that precious feeling had been buried deep inside and long forgotten. He thought about his heartfelt confession from the other night and realized he almost said the words. He demonstrated how much she meant to him and almost said the penultimate statement. He knew she was aware of her importance. He thought back to their argument at the ranch house after she ran off with Tommy's horse. He remembered asking, "do you even realize what your life means?" At the time he was referring to her immunity, little did he know he was also subconsciously referencing her importance to him. Finally, he remembered what he eventually said to her, "you're not my daughter, and I sure as hell ain't your dad." The thought made him cringe and his heart ache. He knew that hurt her, he could see it in her mannerisms after they left the house. He hoped those words, which cut Ellie to the core, didn't keep her apprehensive about his presence.

The sound of her voice pulled him back into reality, away from his daydreaming.

"Joel! Look!" she said, pointing to a large welcome sign on the side of the highway.

"'Bout damn time."

"Welcome to Steamboat Springs," Ellie read off the sign.

"Hopefully that's the only thing that welcomes us," Joel said wittingly.

"No kidding," Ellie replied.

Joel came to a stop and scanned his surroundings, assuring there was nothing that would blatantly cause them to turn around or hide. He looked to his right and off in the distance he could see the western face of a mountain. It had multiple snow covered trails that went from the summit all the way to the base. The trails looked man made as they carved a clear path through the forestry that covered the surface of the mountain side.

"Hey Ellie... you uhh... you see that?" Joel said over his shoulder as he pointed up and to his right.

"Yeah... why - why is it all... weird lookin'."

"Remember when I was tellin' you 'bout skii'in'? Well those trails up there are the skii trails people would go down."

"Really? Huh, they're so well defined and - and steep. People would slide all the way down those?" Ellie curiously asked.

"That's right. Tess always said it was a great feelin'... shootin' down a mountain. Reckon I wouldn't know."

"Maybe someday we can - " Ellie paused mid sentence, realizing the underlying implication behind her words. "We can try it... once this is all over."

Joel stopped, rationalizing what she just said.

_Someday we can._

He knew she wouldn't leave him. She knew he wouldn't leave her. He needed her. She needed him. It became apparent, that once this was all over, no matter what, they would remain together as father and daughter.

"I reckon someday we can kiddo."

They quickened their pace and headed into town in search of supplies and a warm place to sleep.

* * *

The wind was beginning to howl and snow began to lightly fall as the temperature dropped. The town of Steamboat Springs had an old, rustic, tourist feel as plenty of abandoned restaurants and bars lined the streets. It was chock full of supplies and non-perishables, exactly what Joel hoped for when passing through. Between the two of them, Joel and Ellie found multiple cans of food, matches, knives, which Joel could use for killing clickers, bullets, shotgun shells and one very peculiar item, an unopened box of bar soap. Joel thought it could be of use if they ever encountered a moment to finally bathe.

There were numerous instances while scouring for supplies in which Joel had an eerie feeling they were being watched, that someone or something was stalking them. But each time he paused to scan his surroundings, he found nothing and assumed it was his usual paranoia.

They found a small, two story home one block from the main road. It had wooden panel siding with a single window adjacent to the front door, looking out over the street. The house was rather narrow, but extended far back to make up for its lack of width. Ellie and Joel quietly approached the front door.

"Hang on," Joel said as he knelt down, pressing his ear against the door, listening for anything rustling inside.

"Nothin'," he said as he stood up and turned the door knob.

Ellie followed closely behind him and stepped through the doorway.

Immediately before them was a large staircase that lead to the second story. The entire stairway and first floor was covered in an off white, shag carpet. The carpet had a brown tinge to it as dust and dirt had collected on its surface. The ceiling was in poor condition, as water stains lined the corners from years of sustained damage and neglect.

"Feels cozy," Ellie whispered to Joel.

"I reckon it is... it'll do," he replied.

They cleared what remained of the first floor and were unimpressed with the kitchen and living room, but the house had a fireplace and provided a place to sleep that was sheltered from the elements, which once again, was all that mattered.

Joel lead the way up the staircase as they cautiously approached the second floor. At the top of the stairs, a long hallway extended to a bedroom near the rear of the house. Halfway down and to the left was a small bathroom with a toilet and shower.

"Feelin' lucky?" Joel asked Ellie over his shoulder.

"Huh? Umm... we're - we're still alive aren't we?"

Joel snickered. "Good answer."

"Why you ask?"

Joel reached for the shower knob and gave it a turn. The pipes behind the wall creaked and groaned as nothing but a few drops of water dribbled out of the shower head onto his hand.

"Ah," Ellie said.

Joel sighed.

"That was wishful thinkin'."

They continued down the hallway and stepped into the bedroom at the end. The door opened to a large carpeted room with a king sized bed that still had its sheets and comforter intact. Multiple nights in the tent were grating on them, and the thought of getting to sleep in an actual bed induced a smile in both of them. Ellie took off her backpack and set it on the bed, then immediately turned to her left to see a large walk-in closet.

"Whoa nelly! Joel what's this!?" Ellie asked in awe. The only type of closet she knew was the small coat closet in her dorm room at the military school.

"That's a uhh... closet. A walk-in closet. Nice one too," he responded.

Ellie stepped inside, admiring the space and shelves.

"Man, this is nice and all but who - who the hell needs this much space? How much shit did you people have?"

Joel laughed. "Well kiddo... you'd uhh... be surprised how much clothing an' shoes people owned back then."

"Apparently... yikes," Ellie said.

At the end of the closet were two, small sliding doors with shutters that stood beneath a shelf which extended across the length of the back wall. She grabbed the handles and pulled them apart to find a smaller subsection of the closet that had a coat rack.

"Wow... this - this shit is elaborate," she said to herself.

All of a sudden, Joel could feel the temperature in the house drop as a draft of cold air wafted up the stairs. He heard the faintest sound of multiple footsteps rapidly ascending the carpeted stairway. That was the only way out, they were trapped. Like Ellie, he had taken off his backpack and left all of his supplies at the head of the bed. He only had enough time to make one choice. Dart across the doorway and scramble for his supplies, or warn Ellie and tell her to hide.

"Shit! Ellie! Hide!" Joel tried to yell through a whisper.

"What - why?" she nervously replied, sensing the tension in his voice.

"Just do it!"

Ellie crawled into the back end of the closet and closed the two small sliding doors. She could see through the slits of the shutters and heard footsteps inside the bedroom. She heard the familiar sound of a body hitting the floor and brought a hand to her mouth to cover her scream.

_No! Joel!_

* * *

Immediately after alerting Ellie, Joel turned around only to see the butt end of a shotgun strike him in the face. He dropped to the floor hard and felt a shock of pain from his still healing wound.

"Agghh - god dammit!" Joel yelled out in pain.

"Got you mother fucker!"

As he lifted his head, Joel could see three men, most likely bandits, towering above him in the room. Only one was armed, the other two carried splintered planks of wood as bludgeoning weapons. The bandit armed with the shotgun cycled the action and pointed it at Joel's head.

Ellie could hear the sound of the shotgun being pumped and let out a scared whimper.

"You from a group!? You alone? Got food, guns!?" the lead bandit yelled as he lurched the barrel closer to Joel's face. One of the other bandits walked over to the bed and noticed there were two backpacks, not one, and before Joel could respond he opened his mouth.

"Jim, check this out... two bags. He ain't alone... and uhh judgin' by the goofy shit all over this one, I think he's got a kid with him."

Joel's stomach rose into his throat as a sickening feeling coursed through every vein in his body. A huge, mischievous looking grin engulfed the lead bandit's face.

"Well my oh my, you got a little kiddie with ya huh?" he said as he bent down, closely approaching Joel's face.

Ellie pressed her back against the wall out of fear, trying to back away further and further from the voices she was hearing outside. She could feel her heart pounding harder and harder in her chest as each dreadful second went by.

Joel was panting and felt utterly powerless. He remained silent in hopes he wouldn't give away any information that would reveal Ellie's presence and simply stared the man in the face. The two other bandits began sifting through the supplies that he and Ellie found earlier.

"So my friend, your cargo, where is it? Boy or girl?"

Joel didn't respond and the bandit pressed the barrel of his gun against his chest.

"Answer me fuck head, or say bye-bye."

One of the bandits pulled a spare hair tie from Ellie's backpack and spoke.

"Girl - this fella here has himself a girl. Found this hair tie in her bag."

Joel's heart sank. The lion protecting its cub mentality filled him to the brim. His eyes immediately expressed anger and angst, something the lead bandit easily deciphered.

"Oh my, look at your face... it is a girl, isn't it?" the bandit rhetorically asked as he rose to his feet. "Well boys, you know what that means!? We're gonna have some fun tonight!"

All three let out a deep, suggestive sounding snicker as they all thought about a female presence for the first time in years.

Tears began to form pools at the base of Ellie's eyes as she listened in horror. She knew what they meant. She could feel David's hands around her neck once more and hear his voice telling her to beg.

"Tell me. How old is she? She young?"

Joel's face betrayed him. He couldn't keep the anger and rage that was building contained. The tensity of his muscles and the fire burning in his eyes gave him away.

"Well ain't that a pleasant surprise, she's young too," the bandit said as he licked his lips. "Don't worry I'll be gentle with her... can't make no promises for Billy over there though," he said, pointing to one of his companions across the room.

Tears began to stroll down Ellie's face as the emotional scab, which had been slowly healing from her experience with David, was ripped off in one fell swoop from the terrifying words she was hearing. She curled up in the corner, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her nose on her forearm as tears soaked her sleeve.

Before they picked up Joel's guns that were lying on the bed, the lead bandit barked out his next order.

"Find her boys! First to find her gets her!"

As one of the men walked into the closet, Ellie could see his shadow on the floor through the shutters. She let out a quiet squeal of terror, dreading what was about to come next. She wanted to yell for help. She yearned to shout Joel's name for safety, but knew she couldn't. Just before the bandit reached out to open the two sliding doors hiding Ellie, multiple sounds echoed from the hallway.

_Click, click, click. Click, click, click._

_Idiots left the goddamn door open. _Joel thought to himself. He immediately lied flat on his back, head pressed against the floor as he played dead.

"Oh for fucks sake Billy I told ya to close the fuckin' door!"

Just before Billy opened the shutter doors in the closet, revealing Ellie's presence, he ran back into the room and saw two clickers standing in the doorway.

"Jim what the fuck you waitin' for! Shoot 'em you ass hole!"

"I'm - I'm tryin' man the fuckin' - the goddamn chamber is jammed!" Jim replied frantically to his two companions as he smacked his gun out of frustration.

The clickers entered the room, and the loud mouths of the bandits only assured the two beasts would catch their prey.

_They're so fucked._ Both Ellie and Joel thought to themselves.

In a brief reprieve from her sobbing in terror, Ellie loosely remembered what Joel said to her back at the country home.

_Embrace that which strikes fear into the heart of your enemies and you will frighten them even more._

Ellie closed her eyes and every bone in her body wished the clickers would kill the three men, ending their pathetic excuse for human existence and rip them to shreds. For the first time since the outbreak, both Joel and Ellie were glad for the Infected. The Infected were about to save their lives.

The lead bandit looked down in confusion towards Joel and noticed him lying there, completely motionless. He raised his shotgun, aimed at the oncoming clicker and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened as the gun merely clicked and no shell burst from the barrel. The clicker lunged into him, biting at his arm and tearing off a large chunk of flesh as it dug its gnashing teeth into his body. The man let out a blood curdling scream, it was over, he knew it. The two other bandits, in a panicked state, simply tried to bash the clicker over the head with their bludgeoning weapons but they were no match. The wood simply splintered and shattered upon hitting the fungal plates on the clicker's head. The second clicker grabbed Billy from behind and bit deep into his shoulder, ripping out a massive chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed across the wall as the man screamed in pain and collapsed to the floor. It was only a matter of seconds before the third bandit was overpowered and pulled to the ground as his life was slowly ripped to shreds by the two clickers.

Ellie, curled up and whimpering in the corner of the closet, heard the cracking and snapping of bones along with the terrifying screams of the three men getting torn to pieces. She knew Joel was okay, none of the screams had his voice. Eventually, the screams ceased and the only thing she could hear was the sound of the two clickers feasting on their fresh kills.

As the clickers crouched over the corpses of the bandits, Joel quietly crawled over to the bed where his supplies were still lying. Inch by inch he slowly crept his way closer to the edge of the bed, making sure not a single sound would be heard by the clickers. He carefully picked up his shotgun and loaded two shells into the chamber. He took a deep breath and prepared himself, knowing that once he cycled the action, the clickers would be alerted of his presence and immediately make their move.

He slid the pump down, then back up as it clicked. The two clickers let out a screech as they looked up from their feast and made their way towards him.

_Bang! __Bang!_

Joel fired his two shells, both were head shots. The buckshot shredded their flesh as bits of fungus, brains and blood splattered on the wall, sending their bodies immediately to the floor.

Ellie heaved a sigh of relief and began to uncontrollably sob. She was crying in relief that Joel was still alive. She was crying from the emotional scab that had just been ripped away after hearing what those three, sick men were going to do to her. She was overwhelmed with the intensity of the emotions coursing through her veins and the only thing she could manage was to curl up and cry in the corner, waiting for Joel to find her.

Without delay, Joel immediately yelled to Ellie that he was okay.

He ran downstairs, slammed the door shut and locked the deadbolt. He quickly spun around and sprinted back up the steps, dreading the fact he left Ellie alone, even for a few seconds.

He burst into the closet and ripped open the two sliding doors, only to find his baby girl distraught and crying her heart out.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Again, thank you so much everyone for taking the time to read my story, and extra thanks to those who leave reviews, I always appreciate the feedback. I've been thrilled by the positive responses, thank you very much.**

**This chapter I actually originally wrote as part of the previous one and then I even decided I was going to remove the content entirely. While writing this, I had to get up and take a break halfway through because of the intensity of what I was feeling at the time. However, once I read it back to myself the next day, I realized actually how dear this chapter is to me, personally, and that what I felt while writing it was so powerfully genuine, I had to keep it. As such, I felt it needed to be in the story because it touches on a few themes from the game that really struck a chord within me. I can't really explain why or how, but you'll just have to read it. I may be opening myself up for harsh criticism, in any form, by expressing that, so be it. So, anyway, I poured my heart into this one and I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Joel noticed wet spots on Ellie's sleeves as her eyes were buried into them, tears flowing like a torrid rainstorm.

_Oh no - my baby girl, _he thought to himself.

His heart sank and his newly rediscovered, paternal self, immediately overtook him. His little, precious, baby girl needed him the most right at this moment. He cautiously approached her and knelt to one knee.

"Ellie - " he said, his voice quavering as he reached out his hand. She didn't respond, her head was still buried in her sleeves as her sobs continued.

Joel cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Ba - Baby girl..."

Those words caught her attention and she looked up to see Joel kneeling just a few feet away from her, extending his hand. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as her red and tired eyes gazed at him. She was relieved to see him, as those two words snapped her back to reality. Her heart fluttered and she scrambled forward, hastily crawling on her hands and knees, desperately seeking _his_ comfort.

"Oh - my baby girl, c'mere," Joel said with care in his voice.

_My baby girl._

That was the first time he prefaced those two words with a possessive and it only seemed to make Ellie cry even harder. She grabbed his extended hand and dove into his arms. Her tears immediately began to wet his shirt. She nuzzled her nose into the left side of his chest, clutching the front of his shirt with both hands as hard as she could and let out another intense sob. His musky scent had become a source of familiarity and it would always remind her of the first time he comforted her and said those two words. She tucked her legs in as tight as possible, curling up into a tiny ball as she pressed herself against him.

He wrapped his arms around her, clutching her tighter than he ever did before, bringing her closer and closer as he felt her small frame pressing against him.

"Shhh... shhh... it's okay - it's okay baby girl. I gotcha... I gotcha... shhh... it's alright, you're safe - I gotcha," he soothed to her as he pressed his nose into her hair and kissed her on top of the head.

He closed his eyes and the familiar scent of her greasy hair made his heart tickle. He felt relieved to have his precious, little girl safe in his arms, but it hurt him to see her so distraught and every fiber in his body wished he could have rescued her from the previous five minutes. It was clear to him, that underneath it all were the remnants of her experience in the restaurant. The bruises around her neck, the broken rib, her demeanor and reaction when he first found her in that blazing building, and now this, all spoke louder than words. He didn't need anymore confirmation, he knew exactly what transpired in that burning building. His fourteen-year-old baby girl, in less than a span of a month, was twice nearly pulled into the black hole that is sexual assault.

He brought his hand to the side of her face and pushed her usual strand of hair back behind her ear. He gently ran the side of his thumb down her cheek, absorbing her tears in the process and kissed her again as she squinted her eyes, letting out another sob.

"I know baby - I know. I'm here - shhh... I'm here and I'm not lettin' go... I promise... shhh..." he quietly said as he continued to soothe her.

Ellie's breathing finally returned to a normal state and the intensity of her convulsive sobs was waning. She let out a sniffle then wrapped her arms around his forearm as she nuzzled into the base of his shoulder. Her whole life, she had spent being bigger, stronger, older than she really was and at this very moment, she felt the smallest she ever had. Yet, she felt she was in the safest spot in the world, tightly in the confines of her father's comforting embrace. She closed her eyes and despite the emotional pain that coursed through her, she felt a tickle of warmth in her stomach knowing the only person in the entire world who cared for her was still alive and holding her tight. It was only now, that she released the subconscious thoughts that always prevented her from being one-hundred percent vulnerable and she finally, let herself go.

She lifted her head back, stretching her neck, and looked up at Joel with her exhausted, red eyes and tear stained cheeks. She could see the scruff of his beard and the dark circles that outlined the base of his eyes. She felt his hand slide to the back of her head at the base of her pony tail as he gently held her.

"Joel - they... they were gonna -" she finally spoke, but couldn't finish her thought before more tears dripped down her face.

He gazed into her eyes as she looked up at him. He could tell she had completely given in and was one-hundred percent vulnerable, she wasn't holding anything back anymore. He realized, despite her rough and tough outer shell, she was still, at the core, a child, and no child should have to endure what she had to. The look she was giving him was one of complete and utter dependence. It was a look that stated how much she needed him at this very moment. It was a look that gave away her begging, internal desire to be nowhere else on the planet, but in his loving, protective embrace. Seeing the plethora of tears on her cheeks caused his eyes to burn with some of his own and he clenched his throat in an attempt to hold them back.

"I know baby girl - I know... shhh... it's over - I'm here." He bent his head down and kissed her on the cheek then rubbed away a large tear that was rolling down the bridge of her nose.

She continued gazing up at him, letting out another sniffle. "You - you would never let them right?"

She felt his grasp around her tighten and relished the contact. This was her space, her protective zone. Nothing in the entire cruel world could harm her while wrapped in his arms. It was the only place she felt completely safe.

"Honey - they'd - they'd have to kill me first an' then some," he said, rubbing the base of her tiny chin with his finger.

"As long as I walk this earth... no harm will come to you. Even if it means killin' thousands... even if it means - " He grabbed her small hand and gently rubbed her fingers as he cleared his throat.

"Even if it means damnin' the rest of humanity."

_Damn the rest of humanity._

Now, at this moment, Ellie realized how far he was willing to go for her. Those hurtful words from his sharp tongue back at the ranch house carried no weight anymore. The ninety-nine ticked to one-hundred and there was no going back. He was all in, and now, finally, so was she.

Joel's leg was getting sore, as all of his weight was resting on one knee. He brought one arm underneath Ellie's legs and picked her up as he rose to his feet. She didn't even twitch out of surprise or say anything in response. She was merely happy he kept true to his earlier promise. That he wouldn't let go.

While still holding Ellie, he sat down on the floor with his back against the wall and his legs lying flat in front of him. He set her down on his lap then reached up with his hand and brought her head against his chest as he rubbed her shoulder with the other. She let out another sniffle then nuzzled back into his shirt.

A few seconds of silence went by as Ellie's crying finally ceased. The sound of his voice, the smell of his shirt and the touch of his strong, callused hands always soothed her, but she was still shaking ever so slightly.

"Joel - " she started.

"I'm here baby girl..." he whispered with care.

"Back at the - the lake... when you were hurt."

Joel's ears perked up and he gave her his complete, undivided attention.

"After I got the penicillin... they - they found us. I had to lure them away so they wouldn't find you and - and kill you." Her voice began to crack again as her eyes welled up once more.

He knew she saved his life, but had no idea what she went through to guarantee his survival. He realized how far she was willing to go for him and gave her another kiss on the top of her head.

"They caught me... and that fucking bastard... that sick motherfucker he - he threw me in a cage. Like I was his - " She gulped and took a deep breath. "His pet."

Joel brushed her cheek with the side of his hand and felt more tears rolling down her face. He tightened his grasp once more and rage began to boil deep within him. It was the same rage he felt when he saw the bruises around her neck for the first time. It was the same rage he felt when the man he interrogated said those same words, "she's David's newest pet."

"They were about to - " Her whole body quivered as she tried to finish her statement. "To cut me into tiny pieces..."

Joel began to cry at the mere thought.

"I panicked and - and I told them I was infected. It saved my life... I just barely got away and escaped. I had no idea where I was or - where I was going. I was so lost. I was so scared. I - I wished... I wished you were with me." Ellie's heartbreaking cries commenced again.

It crushed him to hear her little sniffles, the pain behind her voice, the despair with each sob. He wanted to clutch her as close to him as he could, for as long as he could, until the world disintegrated into nothing more but space dust. He wanted to smother her with all the love and affection he had, hoping to reap her sorrow away.

"I found this - this restaurant place and then..." She let out an intense sob.

"Then he found me... all I had - was - was my knife. He hunted me like I was some - some baby rabbit." She could feel Joel's hand rubbing her back and felt him kiss her on the cheek, which helped stave off the next incoming sob.

"Run, little rabbit, run..." Ellie said quietly as her voice trailed off, remembering David's words to her while fleeing for her life.

"I thought I finally killed him - I... I stabbed him at least three times... but he - the fucker he - he struggled and knocked me unconscious. I woke up and saw his machete lying on the ground. My ribs they - they hurt so bad I could barely crawl..."

"Then it happened... he - " Ellie's green, little eyes some how still managed to shed more tears as they ran down her cheeks.

"He kicked me... hard... twice. He told me I could try begging..." She clutched Joel's arm and pressed the side of her head against his chest.

"He started to strangle me and then was gonna - he was gonna..." Ellie let out another sob.

"Shhh... shhh... I know - it's okay... it's over - it's over... you're safe with me baby girl," Joel soothed as tears of his own ran down his face onto his beard.

Ellie looked up at Joel once more, meeting his eyes with hers.

"Then you found me..."

He placed his hands beneath her armpits, lifted her up and turned her ninety degrees so she was facing him. She could see the emotion and sincerity from him as tears of his own ran down the wrinkles of his face to his beard. He gently grabbed her head with both hands and wiped away some of hers with his thumbs.

"I'm never, ever, letting anyone hurt you again... you're my - my baby girl," he said as he looked straight into her eyes. "You believe me right?"

Ellie simply nodded and her face gave way to the slightest of smiles as one last tear dripped from the top of her lips onto his jeans.

Joel pulled her close once more and supported the back of her head while she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Now lets get some sleep... I reckon we've - we've had one hell of a day."

Ellie could feel him shift as he prepared to stand.

"You promised - you promised you wouldn't let go," Ellie quietly said with a whimper, in reaction to his shifting. She didn't want to move, she wanted to remain in that very spot for the rest of the night. She wanted to feel his arms clutched around her until she was ready to leave.

"You're right... I did."

He relaxed his muscles and Ellie shifted herself so she was facing the same direction as him. She stretched out her legs over his as she rested her back against his chest and felt his arms wrap around her. She rested her hands on his forearms and gave way to the slightest of smiles, knowing she remained in her favorite spot in the world. The safest spot in the world. His paternal embrace. Nothing could harm her here, this was her domain, she was invincible.

Then, all of a sudden, she heard him begin to sing ever so quietly. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back against his chest just below his chin and felt his heartbeat. She tried to sync her breathing with his as her nerves finally calmed and the muscles in her body eased away the remaining tension. She listened to each word that hummed from his lips. The lyrics tugged at her heartstrings, they vividly expressed what she meant to him, and, what he meant to her. Unbeknownst to her, the song was something he'd sang before, to Sarah, to someone he _loved._

A few minutes passed and he approached the final chorus. He took a deep breath and bellowed out the words with palpable emotion.

Before long, he noticed Ellie dozed off to sleep as he felt her head wilt to the side against his chest. He gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek, feeling the warmth of her breath against the back of his hand.

"G'night... my baby girl."

He leaned his head down, kissed her one last time and closed his eyes as he drifted away.


	12. Chapter 12

Joel's eyelids slowly lifted open as he awoke from his deep slumber. Despite sleeping on the floor, with his back against the wall and Ellie lying in his lap, he slept soundly and continuously through the night without waking once. He noticed the vibrancy of the morning light which basked the bedroom and realized it was later than his usual wake up time. The corpses of the three bandits and the two clickers remained on the floor, filling the room with the unfortunate, familiar scent of death. It was okay, though, as he felt well rested and recuperated from the night's physically and emotionally exhausting events. He stretched his eyelids open to shake off the remaining drowsiness and let out a yawn.

The expanding of his chest as he yawned caused Ellie to slightly shift her head as she slowly rubbed her cheek against his shirt in a short, up and down motion. She let out the quietest of squeaks as her brain tip-toed along the line of remaining asleep and waking up. Joel looked down to see her auburn hair and pony tail still resting just beneath his chin. Her tiny fingers lightly held the edges of his sleeves as his arms remained wrapped around her. He carefully tilted his head to the side, in hopes to get a glimpse of her eyes to see if she was still asleep. He could feel each breath she took as she peacefully rested, breaths which were finally returning to their usual depth and weren't as shallow as before, immediately after her rib injury. He noticed a small pool of drool on his shirt which had dripped down from the corner of her mouth during her restful slumber. Drooling had never occurred in her sleep before and he realized how deep it must have been to cause such an action. He smiled and kissed her hair, feeling her fingers tighten their grasp on his sleeves in the process. For the first time on their entire journey, he had no desire to immediately rise from his sleeping posture and begin their day. He was content to remain there for another hour.

Joel leaned his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment as he allowed himself and his young companion to ease their minds back into reality from their dream state. He listened to the birds chirping outside, a clear sign that spring, finally, was on its way. Snow still covered the ground, but the clear skies and warming temperature meant the dreaded winter was coming to a close. He thought about the events from last night, how openly Ellie expressed her feelings, how much pain she was in. He only hoped he provided the level of comfort she needed, but wasn't sure what her demeanor would be today and moreover, for the rest of their journey. Ten minutes went by and he felt her legs shift. She slowly wiggled her toes in her socks against his jeans and turned her head over to the other side. He tried to bring his arm up to scratch his beard but felt her small hand tug down on his sleeve.

"Unh - unh," she quietly let out, with her eyes still closed and a slight smile across her face.

His mouth gave way a half smile as he internally snickered to himself and lowered his arm. He pressed his chin against the top of her head and rubbed it against her hair, scratching the itch that remained in his beard. Ellie let out a quiet squeal as she felt her hair getting disheveled.

_You're too damn cute. _He thought to himself.

"Mornin' baby girl," he said in response to her squeal.

Ellie smiled from his greeting and raised her hand up to wipe her eyes as she pulled herself back into reality then let out a yawn.

"Oh man... I slept like a rock. I don't think I woke up once," she said.

She stretched her arms up, raising them to either side of Joel's head and arched her back as she stretched her muscles awake.

"I reckon ya needed it kiddo... how ya feel?" he asked, curious of her mental state.

She dropped her arms back down and exhaled. "Better... I'll - I'll be okay," she said with a forced smile.

She was grateful for his presence and that he kept his promise. He never let go of her throughout the night. Despite the enormous amount of emotional distress she felt during the evening, he helped corral her back to a stable mentality. Deep down, she knew this personal demon of hers would torture her for years to come, but as long as he remained at her side, she could conquer it.

"Alright," he said, fixing her hair that he messed with earlier.

She lifted her head up and a confused look engulfed her face. She brought her hand to her cheek and slowly rubbed it, pausing over the glistening wet spot which had been lying against her drool.

"Umm... Joel... what the fuck is - was I... " she asked inquisitively.

He let out a laugh. "You were uhh... droolin'. You must'a slept pretty damn well."

"Oh shit! I'm - I'm so sorry... your shirt is - agh... gross! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed in slight embarrassment.

He let out another boisterous laugh. "Don't worry 'bout it... it's alright - I don't care. Means you needed the sleep."

"Yeah no kidding... well I - I feel like I slept great," she responded.

"Mmmhmm," Joel said.

He was happy to see she made no immediate attempt to pull away, which would have demonstrated she felt embarrassed and, perhaps, even a little ashamed that she let her vulnerability slip through the cracks of her hardened outer shell. His realization from last night, that she was now, finally, all in, remained true and likewise for him.

She turned her head and gazed into the bedroom, seeing the bodies of the three bandits, the cause for her trauma, and the two clickers. Again, she was reminded of the irony that persisted in the broken world they lived in. Despite the darkness and abundance of horrors that lurked around every corner, there was also the constant reminder of the good that remained. The birds chirping outside, the warmth of the sunlight that filled the room, and, of course, her rock, her foundation. The man that had become her father, Joel.

She quickly averted her gaze from the bodies and lifted herself off of him.

"'Kay boss... what's the plan?"

Joel stretched his legs out, relieved he could finally move them, and ran his hands through his hair.

"Well... we gotta get movin'... could be more of 'em around here. I don't wanna wait to find out," he said, pointing to the dead bandits in the room.

"Yeah... fuckin' assholes," Ellie spat with venom. "Well, where to next?"

"There's a small town named Craig further down forty. Reckon it'll be 'bout a uhh... one and a half day walk. I figure we stop there an' restock on supplies. Then we're gettin' pretty damn close to the Utah border - just another three days after that."

Ellie sighed.

"Well... at least we're making progress. We'll get there eventually, right?" she asked rhetorically.

"Mmmhmm," Joel said with a nod.

He rose to his feet and the two of them walked over to the bed where their supplies still resided.

"Ugh - let's get the fuck outta here," Ellie said with disgust as she slung her pack over her shoulder.

"Yes ma'am."

They trotted down the steps and approached the front door, knowing the horrific events that transpired the night before changed their relationship for good.

* * *

Joel's estimate was correct and after about a day and a half of trekking down forty, the two of them approached the town limits of Craig. As usual, Ellie read aloud the words on the next sign she saw signifying their arrival.

"Craig - City Limit - Ele..." she started then stopped, struggling with the last part of the sign.

"Elev - Ele... Joel, what the fuck does that mean? On the bottom there, of that stupid sign?" she asked in annoyance, pointing to the sign.

"Ah... uhh well... Elev. is short for elevation. It's just sayin' the town is at an elevation of six-thousand, one-hundred and eighty-five feet."

"Uhh okay... great, what the hell does that mean and who the fuck cares?" Ellie asked with a sarcastic tone.

Joel let out a laugh. "Well - some towns, 'specially in mountainous regions, listed their height or - elevation, which means how high above sea-level it is. To be honest I ain't totally sure why... just for the hell of it I guess."

"So... that means then... about six-thousand feet below us is the ocean?"

"Well... it don't work exactly like that but uhh... I guess that's one way to think about it. I mean... it's not just below us but - far west too. Colorado is landlocked."

"Yeah no shit - I - I get that it's just... it's a weird thing to mention on a sign or something... that's all," Ellie responded, attempting to explain her logic.

"You're right - it uhh... it certainly is."

Each time Ellie would ask a question, which back in his time would have seemed entirely naive or ignorant, it made Joel realize how much was taken for granted before the outbreak and how silly, and sometimes ridiculous, certain things really were. He remembered, back at the university, when she said that people were a bunch of idol worshippers when it came to sports. In reality, she was entirely correct, they were. Back then, Tommy and him took it so seriously, but now, out of the context of a world which was considered normal, it made zero sense. It seemed completely meaningless and, frankly, trivial. On the surface he found her naivety humorous, but her childlike wonder, coupled with her blissful ignorance, actually made him realize so many of the things he and society thought were important back then were, simply, void of meaning when the foundation which supported their constructs was destroyed.

Ellie wrapped her thumbs around the straps of her backpack and continued walking. About thirty seconds of silence went by before she broke it once more.

"Joel - what's the ocean like? I've always wanted to see it... never got the chance."

"One sec - you see that abandoned shopping center over there? Big empty parking lot? Let's head that way..." he said, as they angled towards the large barren parking lot which sprawled before a structure that appeared to be, at one point, a supermarket.

"Yeah - sure... so the ocean, tell me about it, what's it like?"

"Man... you - you spent all that time in Boston, that close to the water... an' you never saw it?" Joel asked in shock, even though part of him knew she probably never left the quarantine zone.

"Nope. Never did. I heard people say it was close but... we were never allowed to leave the zone... so I - I never saw it."

_Poor thing._ Joel thought to himself.

She was the most intriguing combination of angel and demon. She was trained, by him, to kill, to hunt and survive. She now had just as much ice flowing through her veins as he did. Like him, she had become a cold blooded killer. She had a mouth more foul than himself and anyone else he knew for that matter. She was wise beyond her years yet, also, so innocent and immature at the same time. Despite her reptilian like cold blood, when it came to Joel, she was something entirely different. She was a child again. When it came to him, Ellie's warmness peaked its way through her outer shell and her desire to simply be loved, be nurtured, was on full display. He remembered the night at the country home. Merely an hour after brutally slaying two clickers and seeing blood spray across her shirt, she was adorably snuggled with him under the heavy duvet comforter. He remembered feeling her small, frail fingers and thinking how innocent she was, that she could do no wrong, yet, her tiny hands had committed some of the most brutal horrors out of necessity to survive. Her combination of innocence and childlike wonder, coupled with her mind that was now groomed to be a brutally efficient killer, made her undoubtedly unique. She really was, his daughter.

"Joel - yoohoo... ya there?" Ellie asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh yeah... sorry... well the ocean it's got a uhh... there's a smell to it. Hard to explain... it's refreshing. Reckon there's no other scent like it."

Joel cleared his throat.

"The sound too... of the waves was always relaxing. Sarah used to sometimes sleep with a thing that was called a noise machine. It - it just played the sound of the waves over an' over. She said it was... relaxin' or peaceful - or somethin' like that... helped her fall asleep."

"Huh... weird. I guess I can understand that," Ellie said.

"Yep... I always remembered feelin' the cold water on my toes and starin' far out to the horizon - far as I could see. Always knew that thousands of miles in that direction there was some... some other country - whole 'nother part of the world."

"Wow - that's so weird to think... to think there 's entire parts of the world I won't ever see... did - did you ever leave the U.S?"

Joel stopped in his tracks and his face immediately tensed up.

"Shhhh - you hear that?" he said with angst in his voice.

"Yeah... what the fuck is that?" Ellie asked, reaching for her pistol.

"I dunno but it - it sounds like a stampede."

"A stampede? A stampede of what!?" Ellie loudly exclaimed through an attempted whisper.

"I - I dunno how else to say it - it sounds like a goddamn stampede," Joel responded.

He turned around and peered down at the far end of the parking lot. A thick line of trees encased the lot, which only broke at the sides of the entrance. He looked closely and could see multiple human legs and feet quickly moving through the tree line.

"Oh... shit... Infected. Lots of 'em," Joel said.

"What the fuck!? How - how did they hear us?" Ellie asked anxiously.

"Beats me... c'mon."

They ran and knelt behind a concrete bench. It was too late, though, the mob of twenty-plus infected saw them and were now running straight for them from the other end of the sprawling parking lot.

"Joel - what the fuck are we gonna do?" Ellie said, smacking him the shoulder with the back of her hand.

Joel let out a deep exhale.

"Alright... there's too many to gun down." Joel pulled out the lead pipe he found earlier along the way.

"What!? You're gonna go fight those mother fuckers - are you insane!?" Ellie exclaimed with worry.

Joel handed her his hunting rifle.

The mob of infected were getting closer and closer, their horrid screeches and cries were now loudly audible.

"Look... I need ya to focus on the clickers... aim for the head. Keep em off my back... I'll take the runners... one smash to the head and uhh... they're done. Ya hear me?"

Ellie hesitantly and slowly grabbed his rifle from his hands.

"Ellie! Ya hear me? Ya gotta get the clickers... ya - ya have to, got it?"

"Yeah - yeah... okay - okay, I - I got this... I won't let you down," she said, knowing that if she let him down, he would become the Infected's next meal.

Joel took another deep breath.

"Okay - make every - " he started, only to be interrupted by Ellie.

"Shot count - I know," she said with a nod.

Joel stepped out from behind the bench and aggressively walked towards the first oncoming runner. He lifted the pipe and swung it across his body, smashing his weapon into the creature's head and exploding its skull as it fell to the ground. The next runner came sprinting at him and he swung the pipe back across his body in the other direction, making contact with the creature's jaw. Its head snapped back as it recoiled from the contact. Joel lifted his weapon above his head and smashed down on top of the runner's skull, crushing its brains. He looked up only to see a clicker a mere two feet away from him.

_Bang!_

The crackle of his hunting rifle pierced his ears behind him as he saw the clicker's head immediately explode upon impact with Ellie's well placed bullet. He stepped towards the next runner and swung the pipe in an upper-cut motion, smashing into the bottom of its chin. Teeth and bits of tongue flew out of its mouth as it staggered from the blunt force trauma. Joel swung the pipe back down on its head, exploding its skull in the process. Another runner grabbed him from behind and he immediately thrust his elbow backwards, hitting it in the face and causing its grip to loosen. He turned around, swinging his weapon across his body in the process and smashing it into the creature's face. He was a swirling, whirlwind of death for the runners, but they knew no fear. They wouldn't stop until the grim reaper came to visit either them, or, the tasty meal they desired.

Ellie quickly loaded another bullet into the chamber and pulled the lever back. Without hesitation, she locked another clicker in her sight and pulled the trigger.

_Bang!_

She nailed the monster in the head and watched its body stagger backwards and fall to the ground.

"Fuck you mother fucker," she whispered to herself as she loaded another bullet.

_Bang!_

Another clicker bit the asphalt as she crackled the rifle once again. She was a machine. She was born to do this. Each shot was perfectly placed, right in the head with almost no hesitation between each one. Her aim honed in on each of her targets almost instantly as she methodically and efficiently destroyed the monsters that threatened her existence, that threatened her father's existence.

Three more clickers dropped in a matter of seconds. She had yet to miss.

"Piece of shit," she spat, after firing and watching one of the beasts crumple to the ground.

_Bang! Click-click - Bang! Click-click._

The sounds of the rifle almost became sonorous to her ears, she was so quick with each action, that they began to form a recognizable pattern that would echo across the parking lot until she was out of bullets.

They were making progress. The twenty-plus pack of infected was dwindling, they could see the metaphoric light at the end of the tunnel. They were close.

Another runner lunged at Joel, and he brought the pipe up just in time as he slammed it into the creature's teeth, blocking its vicious bite. He ripped his weapon back and swung at the runner's head. It dropped to the ground, but his pipe, finally, broke in half from the trauma it sustained. He slaughtered so many runners in such a short span of time, his weapon had run its course.

He heard the familiar sound of a clicker charging at him from behind.

_Shit. I've got nothin' left... c'mon baby girl I need ya. _He thought to himself.

Ellie had one bullet left. She watched Joel smash the last runner in the teeth and end its miserable existence. She saw a clicker charging at him from behind and loaded her last bullet into the chamber. Just as she was about to fire, she heard another clicker on her far left, running straight at her. She had one shot left, there were two clickers. One was about to dig its gnashing teeth into Joel and the other was about to tackle her to the ground, ripping her neck to smithereens.

Time slowed down. It's as if everything came to a halt as her brain wrestled with the conundrum that stood before her. Save herself, or, save the man that had become her father.

Her survival instincts willed her to turn to her left and fire away, saving herself in the process. However, another instinct, a new one, from an unfamiliar feeling, said otherwise. It was love. She knew, if she saved herself, Joel was dead. If Joel was dead, that would mean her greatest fear, the one thing that petrified her the most, would come to fruition. She would be completely, utterly and hopelessly, alone. She even felt, ever so slightly, that her sense of _purpose _would dwindle, despite her burden to save mankind from the horrid virus which brought it to near extinction. At that moment, she realized, she loved him as her father.

All of a sudden, Riley's words shot to the front of Ellie's mind, the words Riley said to her on that fateful day when she was bitten for the first time, when she thought her doom was nothing short of assured.

_We fight for every second we get to spend with each other. Whether it's two minutes, or two days. We don't give that up._

It was the same words that went through her head when she initially stitched Joel's wound. She fought so hard to find that medical kit. She fought so hard to save his life. She wasn't about to stop fighting now.

She lined the clicker's head up in her sights and just before it lunged its teeth into Joel she pulled the trigger. The rifle crackled one last time as the bullet sliced its way through the air, entering the side of the clicker's head. Its body dropped to the ground at Joel's feet.

Ellie quickly spun to her left and reached for her switchblade as the last clicker dove into her, sending her flat on her back.

Joel twitched from the sound of Ellie's gunshot as he saw the clicker fall to his feet, just before biting into his flesh.

_She saved you. Again. _He thought to himself.

He glanced over to Ellie, only to see one more clicker diving into her, pummeling her to the ground. His heart stopped as it sank into his stomach.

"No! No! No! Ellie!" Joel screamed as he sprinted back towards the concrete bench.

_That was it, it's over. It's done. She's gone._

He leaped over the bench only to hear the clicker gurgling as blood spurted from the back of its neck. He could see her blade just barely sticking through its throat as her hand buried it deep into the creature's gaping mouth just as it was trying to bite her. Her knee was bent and lifted up to her stomach which provided the slightest bit of separation between her and the beast as it dove on top of her, giving her barely enough time to ram her knife into the back of its throat. She did it. She was alive. She saved her father. She saved herself, even if it was by the skin of her teeth.

Blood dripped down her hand and arm as the wound in the clicker was gushing. Joel immediately grabbed it by the shoulders and threw the lifeless corpse to the side. The adrenaline that was coursing through his veins finally dissipated and he could feel exhaustion from the fight setting in. But it didn't matter, all that mattered was that he saw his baby girl still alive and breathing, albeit panting, looking up at him with her bright, emerald eyes. He dropped to his knees, reached behind her shoulders and scooped her up, clutching her tightly as he placed his hand on the back of his head.

"Oh my baby girl..." he said into her ear.

He squeezed her and held her close to him. He nearly lost his daughter, again. He nearly broke his promise, that he would never let harm come to her.

Ellie reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I thought I was going to lose you - I - I had to save you... I had no choice," she said quietly as her eyes welled up with tears.

She could feel his grasp around her tighten and the feeling she got during the brawl, the feeling that willed her to save him, that gut reaction, lingered with her. She realized, she did, truly, love him. He was her father and she loved him as such.

Joel pulled her back so he could look into her eyes and noticed they were beginning to well up with tears. He realized this tiny, tough-as-nails, fourteen year old girl sacrificed her own life, just to save his. They looked into each other's eyes and no words were spoken. No words needed to be spoken.

He finally confirmed, within himself, that he loved this girl. He would go to the end of the world and back for her. She was his daughter and he loved her as such.

She loved him. He loved her. From that point on, nothing would ever change that.

They collapsed to the ground, panting in exhaustion from the fight that brought them to the brink of death. They lied on their backs, stared up at the sky and enjoyed the silence. There were no stampeding Infected, no gunshots, no screams, no nothing. Ellie reached out her hand and grabbed Joel's after a few seconds of searching for it. She wrapped her tiny fingers around it and let out a deep exhale.

"We need to mo - " Joel started to say.

A hand reached over her mouth as another pulled her up from her lying position. She glanced over at Joel in a panic as the adrenaline kicked in once more, only to see a hand over his mouth and another pulling him up as well.

Their eyes met and for the first time, they both felt totally powerless.

A loud voice boomed from far behind them.

"Bring 'em here boys!"


	13. Chapter 13

Joel and Ellie kicked and squirmed as two men dragged them around the corner of the building. Joel kept looking over at Ellie, fearing what could come next. They had no idea who these people were, what they wanted or where they were taking them. He only imagined the worst, he only imagined what all men want in this post-apocalyptic world and it made him sick to his stomach. They could feel the painful scratching against their backs as the asphalt dug into their skin, but the adrenaline had their minds focused elsewhere. Ellie tried to shake her head back and forth vigorously to escape the grasp of her captor. Joel wildly flailed his arms, attempting to grab any piece of flesh he could in order to bring down this man, who, more than the Infected did before, threatened his existence.

Ellie just barely wiggled her lips free and sunk her teeth into the man's hand covering her mouth. He ripped it away and let out a shriek.

"Ahhh! Fuck! The fuckin' bitch bit me!"

Joel knew immediately what the consequences would entail. Before long, Ellie's captor would no longer be human, but simply another member of the Infected.

The loud voice from behind boomed once more with a laugh. "Hahahaha - Ian, you gonna be alright? Ya sure?"

Ian's face turned red with anger and embarrassment in reaction to his superior's sarcastic jab. He reached his hand back in preparation to smack Ellie across the face. Joel furiously watched as the man threatened to hurt his daughter and his instincts took over. He kicked his legs out as far to the left as he could, tripping Ian before he could strike.

"Agh - Shit! God dammit!" Ian cried out, falling to the ground as Ellie bit him one more time.

Ellie sprang to her feet, but Ian quickly drew his pistol and pointed it at her torso, freezing her in place. He then reached his hand up, grabbing Ellie's skinny forearm and twisting her around as he latched onto her other arm, holding her hands behind her back. His strength was simply too much for her.

The leader boomed his voice again. "Jesus fuckin' Christ, Ian... You got her? Seriously?"

Joel could see Ian's eyes glaring daggers out of frustration. "She's - she's goddamn feisty boss, but she ain't goin' anywhere."

"I swear to fuckin' god if you hurt her..." Joel started to growl before getting hit in the face from his captor. "Shut the fuck up old man!"

"Don't you fucking touch him!" Ellie screamed, in reaction to Joel getting hit. She was just as protective of him as he was of her.

"Hey... hey now... we wouldn't wanna shoot you two. Our buyer would be rather upset with me if I let my boys here do that. Don't make em do it," the leader said, his voice getting louder as they were pulled towards him. "Ian, Brandon... bring 'em closer so I can see their faces... 'specially the girl."

As Ellie was being forcefully pushed towards the mysterious leader of the kidnappers, she inspected his attributes. He had multiple scars across his cheeks and the slightest of stubble over his face. He wore a black beanie, leather gloves and wielded a baseball bat. He was missing a few teeth and had a large tattoo down his forearm. Another man, who had yet to speak, stood next to him pointing a rifle in her direction. She looked down and to her right, at Joel, who was now getting lifted up and put to his knees. All of a sudden she felt a kick to the back of her legs, sending her to her knees as well.

Brandon, Joel's captor, spoke. "It's gotta be them... it fuckin' better be - tired of this shit man."

Ian lifted Ellie's bangs up from her face, and intently stared at her as if he were searching for something of vast importance. "Hah! Fuckin' found it. I don't believe it - it is her."

"Jeff c'mere... look - scar above her right eye - definitely her," he said as he motioned his hand to his boss.

Jeff slowly strutted his way over to Ellie. He knelt to one knee and rubbed this thumb on the scar above her right eye, causing Joel to grit his teeth in anger. She flinched and tried to pull her head away but felt the pressure of Ian's hands behind her.

"Yep. That's her... younger than I thought. She's tiny." He pulled his hand away and looked her in the eyes. "But a feisty one aren't ya?"

"Go fuck yourself," Ellie said, spitting in his face.

Jeff wiped his face and clenched his fist. "Girl... I - I don't condone strikin' a child but shit... you are pushin' it."

Joel's paternal instincts pulled out another bark deep from his gut, which was quickly filling with rage as he watched his baby girl get backed into a helpless corner.

"You piece of shit - I will fuckin' -" Brandon hit Joel in the back of the head, causing Ellie to let out another intense squirm and a bellow of protection of her own. "Stop! Fucking stop you motherfucker!"

"Jeff - what about the dinosaur?" Brandon asked, pressing his pistol to the back of Joel's neck. Ellie let out a squeal merely at the sight.

Jeff turned to Joel and made his way over to him. "I don't see what the big deal is - just another old ass man. But, I don't judge - I don't ask fuckin' questions. I just get paid. Buyer wants 'em both alive - tie 'em at the hands and feet, throw 'em in the truck."

Dread filled both Ellie and Joel. Not only did they have no clue as to where they were being taken, who these people were, or who sent them for that matter, everything they had accomplished was now in jeopardy. They made it so far across the country to reach their destination and they were so close, but this had the potential to derail the entire mission. What if these men took them back east? Thus negating all progress they struggled through over the past month? The thought caused their stomach's to collectively churn, but it didn't matter. They were utterly powerless.

With some rope, Ian and Brandon tied their hands and feet. Then the two kidnappers kicked them to the ground so they were lying on their side.

"Jeff - we got anything to gag 'em with?" the man with the rifle asked. "I don't wanna be hearin' any bullshit on the way back... long fuckin' ride."

The words echoed through Ellie and Joel's minds as their earlier dread intensified, knowing for sure they would be taken far off course.

"Nope... not no more. Since genius fuckin' Brandon here used all of our goddamn cloth... makin' Molotov's to kill those Infected yesterday - dumb ass," Jeff replied, sarcastically patting Brandon on the back in the process.

Brandon rolled his eyes in response then knelt down to grab Joel's feet. "Ian - help me out here. The old man first, then the girl."

Ian walked over and grabbed Joel by the shoulders as the two of them carried him to the truck bed. It was a medium sized pickup with a camper shell over the bed. The paint was heavily damaged by sunspots and was rusted in multiple places, while barbed wire lined the rear and front bumpers.

Ellie let out a squeal as she watched Joel get carried away and yelped out his name. "Joel!"

This was the furthest she had been from him since that day outside of Kremmling, when she went to relieve herself in the bushes across the street, and she vividly remembered what happened then. Each inch he was carried away made her ache more and more. At this point, she yearned to be in the truck, despite the fact it would serve as her glorified prison cell for an unknown length of time. She would be back in his presence, which always made everything that much better.

Joel stared in Ellie's direction as her little, tied-up frame got smaller and smaller while he was carried to the truck bed. He hated feeling this far from her, it caused every bone in his body to ache. He prayed the kidnappers kept to their word and they would throw her in the truck with him. It meant she would be safe with him. It meant he would be back in her presence, something he desperately needed. It meant, his promise, had that much more of a chance of standing.

He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the two men grab Ellie and bring her over to the truck. Each second before she was placed on the truck bed felt like an eternity. He knew, at any moment, one of those bastards could hit her.

They finally set her on the truck bed and slammed the tailgate closed. They shut the rear window of the camper shell and made their way to the cabin of the truck.

"What the hell is the deal with these two anyway?" one of them said as they opened the doors to the cabin. The doors slammed shut, and their voices were no longer audible through the glass window that separated the bed from the cabin.

"Ellie!" Joel yelled through a whisper.

"Joel!" Ellie responded.

They wiggled their way towards each other, sliding on their sides, seeking each other's presence.

Without warning, the tailgate flew open and the man that was wielding the rifle crawled inside, this time holding a pistol. "Forgot one thing," he said as he lunged over Joel.

He smacked Joel in the side of his head with his pistol, knocking him to unconsciousness. Just before Ellie could finish her angry cry in retaliation the man interrupted her.

"Boss don't like hittin' kids... So keep it down - it's a long fuckin' ride."

He jumped out and slammed the tailgate closed once more.

* * *

Hours had gone by and Joel groggily lifted his eyelids as he awoke from his unconscious state. His head was throbbing in pain, but his immediate action upon waking was to locate Ellie within the truck bed. He stretched his neck and looked above him to see her miraculously sitting up against the wheel well that protruded into the side of the truck bed. He was relieved to see she was okay.

"Ellie - "

"Joel! - You're awake - finally!" Ellie stammered as she tried to scoot her way over to him.

"Yeah... but ahh - shit. I haven't had a headache like this in years," he said as he squinted his eyes.

"Why in the hell are they playin' their goddamn music so loud?" he asked, as each note caused his head to ring.

"Oh... that's - that's my bad... They kept me awake, so I made my way over to the front and kicked the shit outta the cabin - yellin' at those fuckers to let us go."

"I reckon it uhh... didn't work," Joel said.

"No... no it didn't - the angry, quiet one just opened the window and told me to shut the fuck up then cranked the volume up on the music."

Joel sighed.

Ellie couldn't contain herself any longer and she let loose with all of the questions which had been percolating at the forefront of her mind.

"Who the fuck are these guys? Where the hell are they taking us? And most of all... who fucking sent them? Someone is trying to buy us? They knew who I was!"

"I don't got a goddamn clue - but it don't really matter. We gotta get out... and sooner rather than later - who knows where the hell we're headed now."

"Hunters?" Ellie queried.

"Doubt it... if they were hunters we'd be dead already - even if they claimed to be deliverin' us."

Ellie let out a deep exhale. "Yeah... probably."

Joel slid his way to the other side of the truck bed and rolled himself up so he was sitting. He peered through the dusty windows of the camper shell and looked for signs, or anything on the side of the road that would tell him where they were going.

"Goddammit I don't see - oh wait... that's a sign - hang on... gotta get closer," Joel said as his voice trailed off.

Ellie eagerly and awkwardly scooted her way over to his side.

Joel read it aloud once visible. "West - Forty."

They immediately turned their heads and looked at each other. Their faces were filled with a combination of shock and relief. They couldn't believe they were still traveling in the exact, right direction they needed, but they had no idea for how much longer.

"Guess we still got some luck left," Ellie said with a sigh.

"Mmhmm," Joel said.

"How far you think we've gone?" she asked.

"Not sure... must be close to, if not over, the Utah border by now though."

"What're ya thinkin'?" Ellie asked.

"Well... we're still headin' in the right direction. I'm thinkin' we wait till they stop and pull over for the night - make our move then."

"Okay - might as well take advantage of the fast travel right?" Ellie responded in agreement.

"Yes ma'am."

Ellie's shoulders perked up as an idea struck her mind. "Oh! C'mere... my blade it's - it's in my front pocket and I can't get it. Can you fish it out?"

"I sure as hell can try," Joel said as he turned his back towards her so his fingers could reach her pockets.

He tapped his fingers on her thigh, searching for the bulge of her knife through her pocket. He felt a skinny bump in her jeans and his hands rested. "Right here?"

"Yep - just a tiny bit higher."

Joel crawled his fingers up and felt the opening of her pocket. He stretched two fingers in as far as he could and felt the cold steel of her blade. He let out an exhale in relief.

"Good thinkin'... good goddamn thinkin'."

A smile stretched across her face.

"Here just... just flip it open and hold it in place. I'll cut myself loose."

"You got it."

Ellie cautiously searched for the feel of the edge of her blade with her tied hands. She felt the sharp touch of the knife, slid the rope over its edge and began vigorously sliding the rope up and down against it. Before long, the rope snapped in half and her hands were free.

"Ohhh thank god! That feels so much fucking better - hang on."

She grabbed the knife from Joel's sweaty hands. The inside of the truck bed, when covered with the camper shell, was extremely hot. There was no air flow and the sun beating down on the roof made the entire space feel like an oven. Both of them were sweating bullets on their brows and their shirts were beginning to dampen.

Ellie cut her feet loose then freed Joel from his entanglement.

"Alright now - if ya see either of 'em makin' their way to peek through that window... put your hands and feet back together like they were. Can't let em know we're free."

"Yeah, sure, gotcha," Ellie said with a nod.

She was a valiant survivor with an impeccable sense of resourcefulness, but she always listened to Joel. What he said to her, just after leaving Tess back in Boston, stuck with her throughout their journey. She looked up to him as her father, and did as he said, when he said.

Joel wiped the sweat from his brow then leaned against the side of the truck bed and brought his knees up. He looked at Ellie's knife and for the first time pried about its existence.

"Say... that blade of yours - useful damn thing. Where'd ya get it?"

The four kidnappers all let out a loud laugh from the cabin, pulling Joel and Ellie's attention away from each other and reminding them they were still in the custody of strangers.

"Fuckers," Ellie snapped with anger. "Anyway - it was a gift... from my mom."

Joel could tell he hit a sore spot as her tone of voice went from normal to somber.

"I always keep it on me... it's saved our ass countless times."

He let out a snicker, glad to hear she continued. "Reckon you're right."

"So... we wait?" she asked.

"We wait."

* * *

Hours had gone by and Joel could tell they hadn't turned off of forty. The sun had set and a full moon was bright in the sky, blanketing the desert landscape below with its glow. Joel remained awake, determined to keep Ellie safe in case anything were to happen while she rested. She lied on her side, with her hands behind her back, like he told her to earlier, and rested her head on his leg. He watched her legs and feet twitch during her sleep, signals that whatever she was dreaming was rather intense. He would gently rub her cheek and hair with his thumb to calm her, which would always stop the restlessness and she would go back to merely lightly snoring.

All of a sudden Joel could feel the truck slowing down. He turned his head to look out the window and noticed they were exiting the highway and onto an off ramp. They made a left and drove about another three hundred feet before stopping on the side of the road. Nothing but the arid desert landscape stretched for miles. Scattered, thin patches of snow still spotted the ground as winter's grasp slowly loosened its grip, giving way to spring. Small shrubs and plant life that were sturdy enough to withstand the harsh environment were the only decorations littered over the dirt and snow covered ground.

Joel gently shook Ellie by her shoulder.

"Ellie... c'mon - rise 'n shine. We've stopped movin'."

Ellie stretched her neck and looked up at Joel then immediately rubbed her eyes, quickly waking herself up.

"Where - where the hell are we?"

"Just off forty... we were on it the whole time."

Ellie heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Oh, shit! Go back to sleep - hands behind your back do it!" Joel said through a whisper.

He saw Brandon leaning back to open the window. Joel closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep as Ellie plopped her head back down on his leg.

"Brandon - cargo update," Jeff ordered.

"Sleepin'... both of 'em. They're out. Should we give 'em some air?"

Joel could hear the doors open as all three men, except Brandon, stepped out of the truck. He heard them letting out deep, exaggerated yawns as they stretched their muscles which were aching from the long car ride. Jeff finally responded.

"Yeah... but don't open the gate. Leave the window to the cabin open... keep the doors open."

Brandon obeyed, then joined his companions outside.

"Ian, get a fire goin' will ya," Jeff barked as they walked a bit away from the truck.

Joel tapped Ellie on the shoulder. "We're clear... looks like they're settin' up for the night."

"Where's all of our shit?" Ellie asked.

"Uhh... up front. Wait for 'em to get settled. Then we make our move."

Ellie nodded as she sat up next to Joel.

The cold and brisk, evening air felt refreshing as it crawled into the truck bed from the open window. Ellie could see her breath each time she exhaled and a shiver went down her spine as the sweat that soaked her shirt earlier, began to freeze. It was a relief, though, to no longer be cooking alive in that oven which baked in the sun all afternoon and the frigid air served as a refreshment.

They both intently listened to the four men talking and joking outside. Brandon was talkative, doing his best to keep the mood light while Ian prepared the fire. Jeff sat on the ground picking at his finger nails with his knife, while the last one lied on his back staring up at the stars.

"Say Jeff - where the hell are we anyway?" Brandon asked.

"Just outside of Fruitland. We'll be there tomorrow."

Ellie looked at Joel. "Fruitland? That even on the map?"

"I reckon it was actually... small town on forty."

Ian's voice rippled its way through the air as he spoke for the first time in hours.

"Hey guys I uhh... fuckin' a - I don't feel so good."

He just finished prepping the fire and rose to his feet.

Jeff looked up from picking his fingernails. "How so? What... you got the virus now or somethin'?" he said, as the rest of them let out a laugh.

"Fuck it - I... I dunno man."

Ian looked down at his hand, where Ellie bit him earlier that day, and saw the horror that was illuminated from the glow of the fire.

"Oh fuck! Oh shit!" Ian exclaimed, as his breaths came out with increased, panicked frequency.

Jeff and Brandon quickly rose to their feet.

"Ian! Calm the fuck down, what the hell is it?" Jeff said.

"My hand... fuckin' look at it!"

Joel looked at Ellie and she knew now was her chance. She crawled through the window into the cabin of the truck and quietly grabbed their backpacks and supplies. She carefully tip-toed out one of the doors, crouching her way along the soft dirt as she rounded to the back of the truck.

Jeff grabbed Ian's hand and examined it. His flesh was already showing signs of the Cordyceps virus. The unmistakable white bumps that appeared near the bite mark, the discoloration of the skin, the fungal looking sprouts growing at the edges of the entry wound, they were all clear evidence of the impending doom he was about to face. Jeff threw his hand back and looked up at him.

"The girl! She's... no way, can't fuckin' be - it can't be!" Jeff yelled, then pausing for a few seconds. "Justin - take him away. End it... just do it. Make it quick and painless. I'm gettin' that goddamn girl."

The color in Ian's face drained, he knew what that meant. He started to back away, slowly walking further into the desert.

Jeff turned to face his companion still lying on his back, gazing up at the stars. "Justin, you hear me? I said fuckin' do it." Justin propped himself up on his elbows.

"But Jeff he - "

"I don't fuckin' care, he's a liability now - can't have it. Go fuckin' do it."

Justin stood up and grabbed Ian by the arm, dragging him through the dirt as he begged for his life. He was in denial. He knew he was infected, he just couldn't bring himself to admit it yet. He didn't want to die, but deep down he knew he was doomed. It was simply a matter of which way he wanted out.

At this point, Ellie had sneakily opened the tailgate, allowing Joel to drop his way out. As he knelt behind the side of the truck, he could hear Jeff's rapid foot steps approaching. He had to be quick, he needed to make a decision fast. He couldn't let him scream or yell, notifying the others that he and Ellie had escaped. They couldn't simply sneak away, he had to make sure Jeff was dead.

Jeff stopped in front of the open tailgate and turned back towards Brandon. Just before he opened his mouth to yell that their prisoners had escaped, Joel sneaked behind him and grabbed him by the neck, covering his mouth in the process. He pulled out one of his fashioned shivs and rammed it into Jeff's neck. Blood spurted across the tailgate and onto the truck bed as his body fell limp in Joel's arms. His muscles twitched as Joel dragged his body around the other side of the truck.

"Holy shit Joel!" Ellie said through a whisper,

Then they heard a gunshot.

_Bang!_

It was Justin's rifle, Ian was dead.

"Jeff! Hey Jeff! Doin' alright back there?" Brandon yelled over his shoulder.

Both Ellie and Joel remained crouched behind the side of the truck and out of sight.

"Oh fuckin' hell... god dammit," Brandon said, rising to his feet. He began to walk towards the truck.

Joel pulled out his shotgun and slowly cycled the action. He closed his eyes and prayed the bastard wouldn't hear it.

Brandon saw the splatter of blood across the truck and jolted backwards in shock. "Agh! Fuck! What the hell!? Shit! Jeff!"

Joel stepped around the corner and fired his shotgun from merely a few feet away. Brandon's torso ripped open as every piece of buckshot tore into his body, launching him backwards towards the ground. In his last moments, Brandon grabbed one of his Molotov's and pulled out his lighter. He lit the cloth and laughed to himself manically as blood dripped from his mouth. He threw it with all his force underneath the truck, hoping to annihilate Joel and Ellie in the process.

"Shit! Joel move! Move! Move!" Ellie grabbed Joel by the hand and pulled him away, diving forward into the ground.

_Kaboom!_

The makeshift firebomb exploded underneath the truck, lifting it off of its wheels every so slightly. Then a second explosion, even bigger than the first, erupted from the rear end of the truck as the gas tank caught fire.

_Kaboom!_

Ellie and Joel flipped onto their backs and quickly tried to push themselves backwards, reeling from the heat that effused from the epic explosion. Off in the distance, she could see Justin making his way back. His pace had quickened to a run once he saw the explosion and had his rifle cocked against his shoulder.

"Jesus Christ! Guys! Jeff! Where the fuck - what the hell happened!?" Ellie could hear him yelling at the top of his lungs.

Ellie hastily rose to one knee, reached over to Joel and grabbed his rifle. She quickly loaded a round from his pack into the chamber and pulled the lever back. She brought the stock to her shoulder and peered through the scope.

_Bang!_

The rifle let out its familiar crackle and Justin dropped dead to the ground as his head caved in from Ellie's bullet.

Ellie dropped the rifle and fell on her back in exhaustion next to Joel. They were both panting and Joel patted her on the shoulder with his hand.

"Way to go kiddo... way to go," he said through his tired breaths.

"Did you see that fucking explosion!? Holy shit that was insane!" Ellie said, through exasperated breaths of her own.

"Couldn't miss it," Joel said with a nod, then ran his hand over his face. Their breathing finally slowed and Ellie turned to look at him.

"To the edge of the universe and back. Endure and survive," she said with a smile.

Joel turned his head to meet her eyes.

"Endure and survive."


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: After reading the previous chapter to myself after posting it, I felt it wasn't my best work. I think the quality of the writing could have been better and for that I apologize, though I hope some of you still enjoyed it. Content wise it was exactly what I had in mind, I just think I could have done a better job of expressing what I wanted to get across. Anyway, here's fourteen. Note, there will be two more chapters after this, not just one! Thank you again everybody for reading and for the feedback. I'm very glad people are enjoying this.**

* * *

It had been four days since escaping their kidnappers back in Fruitland. Ellie feverishly pondered who they were, who sent them and where they were taking her and Joel. Eventually, Joel came to the conclusion the four men could have been hired by Marlene, to ensure Ellie's safe arrival. After all, it had been the better part of a year since Marlene handed Ellie off to him and it was possible she was getting impatient. However, he wasn't entirely convinced and didn't want to risk finding out otherwise. They wondered what would have happened had they simply waited to see where the kidnappers took them, since they were traveling in the right direction anyway. But that was a risk neither were willing to take, they had already seen too much of what humanity was capable of. As far as Joel was concerned, Ellie was safest with him and no one else. She felt the same.

"Hey Joel - look! More gnomes!" Ellie excitedly exclaimed, pointing to the lawn of a house off to the left. Four gnomes stood in a row at the edge of the yard, looking onto the street. Each had their unique characteristics, with varying degrees of height and width. The tallest one in the middle, with a red pointy hat, caught Ellie's attention.

"Yep - more gnomes," Joel responded with a smirk.

Ellie came to a stop and turned towards the yard, leaning her head forward as she carefully examined her latest discovery.

"Oh wait... that one is... a bit creepy," she said, pointing with intent as her voice trailed off.

Joel turned and looked for himself.

"The ugly one on the left - with the purple hat?" he queried.

"Yeah - why... why is it staring at me?" Ellie asked with a nervous laugh.

Joel snickered. "I reckon it's probably one of those things that uhh... no matter which angle you're at, damn thing looks like it's starin' right at ya. Sarah used to have a doll like that... always creeped the hell outta Tommy when he saw it."

"Wow, that's weird... okay - maybe not all gnomes are cute," Ellie said, putting her hands on her waist.

She sighed and turned to face Joel. He noticed the pensive look on her face and could tell a pressing question rested on the tip of her tongue. He ran his hand through his hair and finally pried.

"There somethin' on your mind Ellie?"

Ellie reached behind her head and adjusted her pony tail, then let out another sigh.

All of the snow that covered the ground and trees had finally melted, spring was in full bloom. The warmer temperatures, the lush, green plant life that vibrantly glowed in the sunlight and the various critters emerging from hibernation all made Ellie realize how happy she was that winter was over. She knew they were close to their destination, yet she wanted a chance to relax and enjoy what would be one of the last days of their journey. On one hand, she yearned to finally reach the end, to complete the mission. On the other, she was apprehensive. Apprehensive of what may happen once they were done. Joel promised her he wouldn't leave her, no matter what, and she knew both of them had the underlying knowledge they would remain together once all of this was over. However, as usual, her greatest fear constantly lurked in her subconscious. She couldn't stand the thought of ending up alone. It would kill her. She had become so attached to him. It was because of this, that she wanted to take a break from travel and rest early. That way, the two of them could enjoy each other's comforting presence in the wonderful spring environment for one more day, before this was all said and done. She thought, ever so slightly, this could be the last evening she would spend with this man. This man, that became her father.

"Well... this place is pretty nice, isn't it?" she said, lifting her hands up in the air as if she were presenting her surroundings in a sales pitch.

"I reckon it is, yeah. Nicest place we've seen in a while - if you can call it that. Map says we're in Holladay... suburb just outside of Salt Lake... we're close."

"I know we're close but - " Ellie started to say, then stopped and fiddled with her fingers.

"But what?" Joel said, curiously scratching the side of his face.

"What if we stopped early today... you know - find a nice place to rest and take it easy. Whadd'ya say? Please Joel?" she said, crossing her arms behind her back and giving him puppy eyes.

_You're too damn cute. _Joel thought to himself once again.

He was actually happy with her idea, though he wouldn't admit it. Each day, their journey brought non quantifiable amounts of unknown, something he had gotten used to long ago. However, the one constant that remained, was Ellie. He knew, no matter what, the next day, the next morning, the next evening, would involve his daughter in some way. To him, she was the center of the universe. She was the only thing that brought him peace. For the first time, he worried about the unknown of the next day. He understood the two of them would remain tied at the hip after accomplishing their goal, but a sinking feeling engulfed him. He began to question what would happen once they got there and the slightest feeling of doubt crept its way to the front of his mind. This afternoon and evening, could be the last time he would get to spend with this little girl. This little girl, that became his daughter.

"You know what... you got it. C'mon, lets go."

* * *

"Ellie - look up ahead... top of the hill," Joel said, panting as the two of them scaled a steep hill.

A large, two story house sat at the apex of the hill, looking over the rest of the suburb below. It was on the far edge of town and closer to the foothills rather than the actual city. The house looked eerily familiar to the ranch house Ellie found back in Jackson, where her and Joel nearly split, going their separate ways. It had wood paneled siding with a large window looking over the front from the second story. Two, cylindrical columns that extended to the roof stood at the front of the house, bordering the entrance to the wooden porch that extended across the front. The front door was solid wood and still retained some of its shine as the red maple highlights glistened in the afternoon sun.

Ellie stopped to catch her breath and peered the hundred or so feet in front of her, inspecting Joel's find to give him her stamp of approval.

"Looks good to me," she responded, through panted breaths of her own.

They approached the house and stepped onto the front porch, hearing the wood creak with each step they took. Joel did his usual reconnaissance and pressed his ear to the door, listening for any unexpected danger lurking behind it.

"Nothin'," he said, looking up at Ellie from his kneeling posture.

Ellie drew her pistol, as she always did in these scenarios, just in case.

Joel turned the knob and slowly opened the door. The rusted hinges groaned and squealed as he pushed it open, symptoms of no use and a lack of maintenance.

He drew his shotgun and the two of them began inspecting the house, clearing each room one at a time. Normally, they would separate, cutting inspection time in half, but this time, they stayed together.

The first floor had a small half bathroom with a large, sprawling living room at one end of the house. On the other end was the kitchen, which was not as nice as the country home they found in Colorado, but it still had a quality charm. The cabinets had a discoloration of yellow over their surface as the wood lost its original stain over the past twenty years. The counter tops were covered in dust and broken glass, it was apparent a struggle occurred here at some point, but no bodies or other evidence could be found.

"Nice place... not a bad find for our last stop," Ellie said, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Mmhmm," Joel responded with a nod. "Upstairs?"

"Yep," Ellie concurred.

Ellie grabbed the post which attached to the railing at the bottom of the steps and spun her way around it. She hastily went up the stairs to the second story, excited to explore the rest of the house. The floor upstairs was covered in a white carpet, which felt soft and squishy underneath their feet. She ran over to a balcony that overlooked the large living room and could see far into the horizon through the large window.

"Wow... this is awesome," she said in awe, leaning on the railing at the edge of the balcony.

Joel walked up next to her and rested his elbows on the railing as well. "Sure is."

A few seconds went by as they took in the view of the living room below and the sprawling horizon that contained the afternoon sun off in the distance. All of a sudden, Joel's ears perked up as he heard the slightest sound breaking the deafening silence that encompassed the house.

"What in the hell - " he said, his voice trailing off as he slowly turned around and looked down the hallway. At the end was a large bathroom, where he was sure the sound was emanating from.

"What? What is it?" Ellie asked with curiosity.

"Ya hear that?" Joel said, motioning his hand to Ellie as he started walking.

They rushed down the hallway, quickly glancing through each doorway, since they hadn't finished clearing the second floor. Joel pushed the bathroom door open and saw the source of the mysterious sound. It was water, barely dripping from the faucet over the bathtub. It was the faint sound of droplets colliding with the metal drain stop which lured him down the hallway to investigate. The old style, claw-foot tub stood against the back wall of the room with a window just above for air flow.

"How the hell - " he said to himself, curiously inspecting the faucet.

He turned the handle and they could hear the pipes groan behind the wall. Nothing happened, only the small drip of water persisted from the faucet.

Ellie leaned against the door jam. "Where is that coming from? How the fuck does this place - or anywhere have water at all?" she asked in a confused tone.

Joel leaned over the front end of the tub, half expecting to find some shred of evidence that would help solve the mystery.

"Place must have its own well... ain't on city water. I reckon though ya still need electricity for the damn pump to work. Hang on let me - " Joel stepped up on the edge of the tub and peered through the window to the backyard. Lying across the lawn was a long P.V.C. pipe extending deep into a well that sat in the middle of the yard. Joel followed the pipe with his eyes until the limited vision provided by the window caused him to stop.

"What the hell is a well?" Ellie asked. She perked up, lifting herself off the door jam. "Hey! That rhymes! Awesome..." she said with a smile.

Joel let out a small laugh. "Yep - it's a damn well. C'mere, follow me." Joel motioned to Ellie as he swiftly made his way back into the hallway.

"Uhh... alright," she responded with reluctance.

They ran down the steps, out the front door and around the house to the backyard. Joel jogged over to the large brick circle that sat in the middle of the lawn and peered into it. Ellie stepped beside him and placed her hands on the edge as she gazed down into the dark space below.

"This here is a well. It uhh... basically provides water to the property on its own. Meanin'... unlike most houses back then, this one don't run off the city. So when the city goes down, ya still got water," Joel explained.

"Huh, weird. That's kinda cool I guess," Ellie responded, leaning her head further in, trying to see what was at the bottom. "It's so deep though... how far does it go?"

"Pretty damn far - but like I said earlier, still need electricity for the damn pump to work. Which is why I reckon this pipe is runnin' down here," he said, running his fingers along the white plastic.

Ellie turned around and noticed a generator that was standing up against the back wall of the house. It connected to the pipe running to the well on one side and on the other side another pipe ran through a small window into the basement.

"Joel - " she said, tugging on his sleeve. "Look."

Joel turned around and his eyes lit up. "Knew it. Who ever was last here - I reckon they rigged up this pump to get water runnin' into the house. Damn clever."

He ran over to the generator and pulled the lever. The machine rumbled to life as its loud, obnoxious and monotonous noise permeated through the back yard.

"Get the hell outta here - " he said to himself. "Damn thing still has some juice left too!" he yelled over to Ellie.

She excitedly ran past him and motioned her hand for him to follow. "The tub, c'mon!" she yelled.

The thought of running water, which meant a bath, filled both of them to the brim with excitement. They hadn't bathed in months and their clothes were covered in dirt, grease, dried blood and grime. Their faces had begun to embody what it meant to be filthy. Joel's wrinkles were encrusted with dried sweat and dust. Ellie's natural complexion and freckles were hidden from the thick layer of dirt that settled on her cheeks.

Ellie burst into the bathroom with Joel right behind her. She turned the handle on the tub and the faucet sputtered a few times as the pockets of air that remained in the pipes interrupted the water flow. After a few seconds, the it came to a steady, semi-strong stream, filling the tub in the process. Ellie reached her hand in and immediately shrieked from the ice cold feel of the water.

"Gah!" she said as she snapped her hand back. She quickly turned around and pressed it against Joel's shirt. "It's fucking cold Joel!"

Joel laughed. "It will be." He grabbed her small, cold to the touch hand and warmed it with his own.

"I'm not getting in that, are you kidding me?" she said with a sheepish smile, enjoying the warmth he provided. "Besides do we even have soap?"

Joel took off his pack and dug out the bar of soap, which he found back in Steamboat Springs. "We do now," he said, showing her his finding.

"Oh... well - I'm still not going in there... fuck that," she continued.

Joel let out a snicker. "Don't worry... I've uhh... got an idea. But we're gonna need a fire. I'll get one goin' - meanwhile you figure out what we're eatin' then meet me on the front porch."

Ellie smiled, curious and excited for what he had planned. She knew he was intent on getting her warm water, she just didn't know how yet. Then she was reminded, once again, of the things he was willing to do for her. Not just protect her and escort her across the country, but the little things. The little things that added that much more joy to her life, a life, in which all she knew was the struggle to survive, eating canned food everyday, the constant threat of death and the knowledge that everything you hold dear could be ripped away from you in the blink of an eye. She knew he loved her, but receiving that kind of affection and care was still foreign territory for her. She wasn't sure how to respond. It didn't matter, though, she knew he wasn't concerned with that whatsoever. She knew, he only cared about her well being, that included physical and mental.

"Okay... what you say goes right?" she responded wittingly with a smile.

He smiled back and ran a hand through her hair.

* * *

Ellie sat on the front porch with her legs crossed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. Two cans of food sat next to her as she patiently waited for Joel to join her outside. He was taking much longer than she originally anticipated, but she knew he would come to her eventually. She ran her finger in a figure eight on the dirt in front of her, humming to herself and making her usual random noises while bored. She heard Joel's footsteps behind her on the porch then felt his hand gently rest on her back as he sat down next to her.

"How we doin'?" he asked, exhaling as he sat down.

Ellie's stomach growled. She looked at him and blushed.

"That bad huh?" he jokingly said.

"I know you're sick of peaches so... I grabbed the one can of corn we had," she said.

He smiled, knowing that she thought of him. He knew she cared about him. After all, she did save his life, in more ways than one. He knew this was foreign to her, expressing a child's love for her father. He didn't care, her attempts and actions spoke louder than words.

"Give 'em here," he said, reaching for the two cans.

He cracked them open and the two of them took turns scooping out their dinner with their fingers. The sun was setting in the western horizon and it basked the sky in a beautiful combination of red and orange. The clouds glowed with a vibrant pink as the evening sunlight refracted through the atmosphere. It was a gorgeous sunset, one that Ellie had never seen the likes of in her life. She took the last bite of peaches, set the can down and let out a burp. Joel let out a muffled laugh with a mouth full of corn and set down his empty can. He felt Ellie sidle up next to him and rest her head on his arm. He reached over, smiled and brushed the usual non-conforming lock of hair back behind her ear.

She smiled and let out a deep breath. "Man... you can't deny that view."

"Jury still out?" Joel wittingly asked.

Ellie snickered. "No - it's everything I hoped for," she said, lifting her head off of his arm and looking up at him.

"C'mere," Joel said as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in close.

She rested her head on his shoulder as he gently rubbed her outside arm. They both let out relaxed, deep breaths as they relished this moment. They both knew a moment like this, may never happen again. A couple minutes of silence went by as they simply gazed at the sunset enjoying each other's company. Ellie then began to speak.

"Joel - " she started.

"Hmm?"

"You swear it's not gonna hurt right? Like you said - they're just gonna draw some blood... then we go on our way right?"

"It won't," he said with a smile, rubbing her outside arm again. "If they hurt ya... they'll have to go through me first."

She smiled at his reassurance, though she knew he couldn't fully guarantee anything. She was smarter than that. Regardless, hearing it from his lips almost made it one-hundred percent believable.

"Joel - " she started again.

"Yep?"

"How is it that you're never scared?"

Joel turned his head away and gazed back into the beautiful sunset. He paused, took a deep breath and scratched the base of his beard with his free hand.

"Who says that I'm not?"

Ellie laughed to herself internally, remembering those were the exact words she used when Sam asked her the same question.

"What're you scared of?" she pressed on.

Deep down she already knew what it was, but she wanted to hear it from him. She had the picture, of him and Sarah, tucked away in her backpack after stealing it from Maria at Tommy's dam. After seeing it, everything started to come together. It all began to make sense. His initial emotional distance, the reluctance to be near her and his dismissive attitude demonstrated his fear of becoming attached to someone who represented his daughter. However, it was only because he had Sarah, had a daughter he loved, that the frozen wall which encased his heart slowly melted away. Ellie's warming presence reminded him of what it was like to love, to care for someone and to have _purpose_. She slowly chipped away at his emotional defenses and now, she really had become his daughter.

Joel cleared his throat and sat in silence for a few seconds, pondering how to articulate his thoughts. He knew what his greatest fear was. After seeing horrific scenario after horrific scenario in this cruel world, he knew exactly what kept him awake at night. Hunters, Infected, Bandits and even death paled in comparison to his greatest fear. Losing his daughter, again, losing his _purpose._ Without Ellie, he realized how empty and void of any joy his life would be. There would simply be no point in living if she were gone.

"Loss... losin' the reason I keep fightin'," he finally said.

Ellie could feel his grip around her tighten as he slowly spoke his response. She knew what he meant. His words caused her to think about losing Joel and what that would mean. A sickening feeling crept into her veins at the mere thought and she tried to dismiss it as if it were the worst horror imaginable.

"You?" he asked her. He knew what she was afraid of, it was why he never left her side. It was why he promised her he would never leave her, why he promised her he would always be there no matter the situation.

Ellie rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm - " she stopped, then took deep breath.

"Abandonment... I'm afraid of ending up alone."

Joel could feel her latch on to his side with her small fingers as she voiced her response. He brought her in close and kissed her on top of the head.

She continued speaking. "Sometimes... I - I wonder what would of happened if you never found me... and left me alone in that - " She gulped as her eyes started to well up. "That burning building with that piece of shit."

He reached for her chin and lifted it towards him with his finger.

"No point in dwellin' on that. I found you. I ain't ever leavin' ya. I promised... ya never have to worry 'bout that - ya hear?"

She nodded and stared into his eyes with hers as tears slowly started to build. She knew he meant it.

"I know," she finally responded. She leaned in and hugged him as she rested her chin his shoulder. She felt his arm wrap around her back, returning her embrace with his.

He felt her shiver and noticed goosebumps rise on the back of her neck as a cold, evening gust of wind rushed by them.

"Ohh... it's getting chilly," she said.

"It's gettin' dark... c'mon - I got a surprise for ya."

* * *

"See? Ain't cold no more," Joel said, reaching his hand in the tub full of water.

Ellie, confused, slowly walked over and noticed a bunch of rocks lining the bottom of the tub. She reached her hand in and felt the warm water. It wasn't hot, but it certainly wasn't freezing cold either. It was warmer than any water she had felt in years. Her eyes lit up and her mouth dropped in surprise.

"How did you - what are the... is it cause of these stupid rocks!?" she exclaimed in half excitement and half confusion.

"I reckon it is," Joel said as he beamed with pride. His idea worked.

"I gathered up a bunch of rocks and uhh... warmed 'em over the fire for a long time till they were hot. Then scooped 'em into the tub, heatin' up that damn cold water."

Ellie's nerves tingled with excitement. The thought of warm water easing the tension from her muscles and joints caused her to smile with glee. She couldn't believe he did this for her, though she wasn't all that surprised.

"Oh my god! I... I don't know what to say..." she said as she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his torso giving him a hug.

Joel smiled. "Nothin'... just take this soap here and clean yourself up. You're filthy," he said playfully, rubbing his hand through her greasy hair.

She pulled herself away and looked at him with a playful glare. "Pfft - you're filthy."

"I reckon I am... but you first. Also found ya some clean clothes from one of the bedrooms," he said, pointing to the pair of cargo pants and the small, red, striped button down stacked in the corner.

Ellie started to tear up as her emotions ran wild. She was touched to the core by his thoughtfulness and hugged him once more.

"Thank you... for everything," she said, pressing her chin against his shirt as she looked up at him.

He didn't say a word and simply smiled back as he brushed her rebellious lock of hair behind her ear again. He started to pull away to turn around and walk out the door.

"Wait - where... where are you going?" Ellie worryingly asked. She didn't want him out of her sight.

"Well... I ain't stayin' here... ya need your privacy. Don't worry, I'll be right outside the door, whistlin' the whole time so ya know I'm there. I ain't goin' anywhere."

She was about to let him off the hook, but yearned for him to stay, though she knew he was right. She did have to undress before getting in the tub.

"Uhh... just - just don't look. You can sit at the end - and face the door. Just don't look!" she stammered.

Joel scratched his beard, thinking through her proposition. Even though it made him slightly uncomfortable, he gave in.

He exhaled and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright... you ain't gonna take no for an answer are ya?" he said playfully.

Ellie crossed her arms and lifted her shoulders. "Nope! Better get used to it!" she said with confidence.

Joel snickered and rolled his eyes. "Already have."

He sat down against the end of the tub and faced the door. He brought his knees up resting his elbows on them and ran his hands through his hair once more. He could hear Ellie taking off her shoes and dropping her disgusting, filthy clothes to the floor. She placed one hand on the edge of the tub and carefully lowered herself in, still skeptical of the warm water. She couldn't believe it was actually warm, it felt surreal.

"Ohhhhh my god!" she let out a squeal. "It's so fucking amazing!" she exclaimed. She started to giggle to herself as she felt every sore muscle and joint give in to the relaxing warmth. "Aaahhhh... holy shit this is awesome."

Joel let out a laugh. "Don't forget to clean yourself."

"Pssht - I won't! Hand me the damn soap," she said with annoyance.

Joel reached forward, grabbed the bar of soap and without turning around simply held out his hand behind his back. He heard the water ripple as Ellie glided forward to reach for the soap. He felt the warm water drip from her fingers onto his hand as she grabbed it. He couldn't wait to feel the water for himself, to finally be clean for the first time in months. Though, he was perfectly okay with her spending however long she wanted in there.

"You can... still whistle or sing if you want to. I - I won't mind," Ellie shyly said, unwilling to fully express her desire for him to do so.

Without saying a word, he leaned his head back against the tub and closed his eyes as he began to whistle. He was whistling the same song he sang to her after the unnerving trauma from the bandits back in Steamboat Springs. Ellie recognized it immediately, and the warm water coupled with his serenade caused her to completely relax and forget all of her worries. Joel listened to his daughter splash with joy, and his nerves tickled with happiness, knowing the one thing that kept him going, his purpose, was carefree and happy for the first time he could remember.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Gah! I didn't mean to bum people out about there only being two chapters left, sorry! Hehe... They are getting very close to their destination though. I have mulled over the idea of writing a Their Purpose 2. It would, predictably, start right when the game ends, but I haven't fully decided yet. I'm hoping I will, but we'll see. I've brainstormed a few ideas for it and some of the themes I would like to touch on but I don't want it to feel forced and unnatural. Depending on feed back at the end of this one, I may or may not write it, not sure yet. I don't know, sometimes I go back and read a chapter I wrote over a week ago and find one stupid typo that I somehow missed, or a questionably structured sentence that just doesn't flow right and it drives me crazy, makes me feel like the whole thing is ruined, hah. As usual, really appreciative of the support from the readers and reviewers, you are all awesome!**

* * *

Ellie, cleaned and dressed in her fresh clothes, leaned against the end of the tub as she waited for Joel to finish his bath. He asked her to give him privacy, but she insisted she would simply sit on the floor against the tub and not look, just as he did for her. Despite being slightly annoyed with her decision at first, Joel realized he was happy and even a little relieved she stayed. The two of them had become so attached to one another, the mere thought of the other not being within eyesight was troubling. While enjoying the warm water at the end of his bath, Joel started to think about how much he really loved Ellie. This little, feisty, spark-plug of a girl had ventured her way deep into the most sacred area of his heart and she wasn't about to leave. Then Sarah, his true biological daughter, popped into his head.

He was feeling polar opposite emotions at once, peace and warmth from Ellie, and longing coupled with sadness from Sarah. He still loved Sarah and would cherish her for the rest of eternity. However, when it came to Ellie, he loved her just as much. He remembered, before the outbreak, Sarah was his world. She was the center of the universe. He would have done anything for her and he loved her more than life itself. He remembered how attached he became, she was his anchor. Ellie, had become exactly the same. He thought back to when he first said those two words, baby girl. At first, he was nervous, even a little scared to let himself love someone again like he did Sarah. But it didn't matter, it was unavoidable. The world had become so cruel, so horrible, that the connection he formed with Ellie, and she with him, was stronger than anything he had known. He knew the world was vastly different, compared to before the outbreak, and it made countless attempts to tear away everything he held dear. Ellie and himself had been faced with so many life or death situations, it was impossible for the deep connection of co-dependence not to form. The gravity from each situation brought them closer and closer together, like a massive star sucking its planets tighter into orbit. It pulled them so close, their souls eventually crashed into one another and became one. He was as much a part of her, as she was a part of him. That bond, would be impossible to break and he knew she felt the same way, whether she realized it or not.

All of a sudden, he could hear Ellie lightly snoring. She fell asleep, exhausted from their long journey, with her head resting against the tub. The soothing, warm water forced all of the tension from her muscles, which in turn, made her completely relaxed and realize how tired she really was. Joel reached for the towel lying on the floor, quietly stood up and dried himself off. After putting on his clothes, he inspected himself in the mirror. He appeared much older than he did from merely a year ago. Now that all of the dirt and grime was washed away, he could clearly see the wear and tear on his body from this epic journey. The bags beneath his eyes from lack of sleep, the more pronounced wrinkles in his face and the increasing number of gray hairs all pointed directly to the stress he endured throughout their quest.

He glanced over to Ellie, who's tiny frame was curled up against the tub. Her position looked awfully uncomfortable and he couldn't believe she fell asleep. He carefully placed one arm beneath her legs and the other behind her back, lifting her up. She let out the faintest of sounds and nuzzled into his chest. He carried her down the hallway to the bedroom and gently set her on the bed. He pulled the blanket up and noticed her little fingers twitch as the warmth of the comforter engulfed her.

He quietly lied down next to Ellie and watched her chest slightly rise and fall with each breath. Her youthful, natural complexion was finally visible once again now that she was clean. Her hair was back to its reddish, auburn shine and he could clearly see the freckles that spotted her nose and cheeks. She no longer had the scent of death, dirt and sweat emanating from her body, and neither did he. To feel clean again, was something he hadn't felt in forever. He leaned over, brushed her bangs from her eyes and kissed her on the cheek.

_I love you._

"Good night, my baby girl."

* * *

Joel reached behind his head and felt a throbbing pain that pulsed from the inside of his skull. He nervously looked to his left and to his right, Ellie was no where to be found. The surface beneath him felt hard and cold to the touch. Bright lights, which towered over him, blinded his vision.

"Ellie - " he spoke, slowly lifting himself up and setting his feet to the floor.

It was dead silent. All he could hear was the rapidly increasing heart beat in his chest. Adrenaline began to course through his veins as he realized the most important thing in his life was nowhere to be found.

"Ellie!" he yelled as he stood up and approached the door at the end of the room.

He ripped it open and found himself in a dark hallway. It was barren, completely empty and void of life. On one end, the darkness intensified, fading into nothing but pure blackness. On the other, he could see the faintest of lights, flickering above a large doorway.

All of a sudden, he could hear the slightest of sounds. It was Ellie's voice. She was calling his name, she was in distress.

"Joel..."

"Ellie!" he yelled as he began to run down the hallway. The dimly lit door seemed to never get closer, it kept pulling further and further away. The sound of Ellie's voice grew fainter and fainter as its tone increased in despair after each call of his name.

"Joel... Joel... Joel!" Her voice taunted him, it tore his heart from his chest. He wasn't getting any closer and the pain in her voice grew by the second.

"I'm comin' Ellie... I'm comin' baby girl," he said, his voice trailing off as he forced the words through his panted breaths. He quickened his pace, he was now at a full sprint down the hallway. The door never came closer, it only seemed to disappear further into the distance.

Then, her voice no longer faintly echoed down the hallway. It was silent, all he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest and the sound of his boots hitting the floor with each stride.

"Ellie! Baby! Talk to me! Talk to me baby girl, c'mon!" he yelled. The door finally got closer. He was almost there, he was so close to her. He could somehow feel her presence near him, as if his aura rippled with waves when close to her.

He heard her yelp in pain and his stomach rose into his throat.

He placed his hand on the door handle and immediately felt as if a piece of him was torn away, as if the majority of his soul died at that very moment. He burst into the room, only to find Ellie's lifeless, tiny body lying on an operating table. There was no one else, nothing else, no blood, no nothing, just her. Her bright, green eyes emptily gazed up at the ceiling as her lips remained slightly ajar. He ran to the side of the table and lifted her to him. He held the back of her head with one hand and clutched her tightly around the shoulders with the other. Tears began pouring from his eyes as they dripped onto her pony tail.

"No, no, no... c'mon baby girl. Stay with me... I know you're still there. I know you are, c'mon honey..." He let out an intense sob.

He looked up to the ceiling, his eyes sending out the most desperate cry for help. "Don't do this to me again... please - please don't do this to me again. Please..." he stuttered through his convulsive sobs.

"Ellie - baby girl... you can't die. You just can't..." He clutched her lifeless body even harder and kissed her on the cheek.

"Ellie - I..." He cleared his throat.

"I love you. You're my baby girl and I love you - I can't lose you. You hear me Ellie? I love you!" The words struggled to escape his trembling lips.

He said the penultimate statement. The words she longed to hear, that he longed to hear. It was his last, desperate cry, in hopes it would magically resurrect the little girl, his daughter, that used to reside in the lifeless body he now clutched so dearly.

"Please - please answer me baby... c'mon Ellie, answer me. Please... please... please..." he pleaded as he wept. He pressed his nose into her hair and smelt her usual scent. It triggered a montage of memories, memories that would haunt him, like Sarah, for eternity as he could feel every cell in his body die.

It was over, she was gone. He failed to keep his promise and lost the most important thing in his life. He no longer had any purpose.

He lifted his head, only to see Marlene's exaggeratedly large, pair of eyes staring at him through a narrow window on the wall.

* * *

Joel snapped his eyes open. His heart was furiously pounding through his rib cage and his breaths were shallow and rapid. He could feel the pillow beneath his neck soaked to the core from sweat. He darted his eyes around the room, trying to reel himself back into reality. Once his brain rewired itself and realized where he was, he frantically looked over for Ellie's presence.

There she was, adorably and peacefully sound asleep under the comforter with her arm gently caressing his. He could only see her small head outside of the comforter, resting on the pillow, but he could hear each breath she took and for a second, he thought he could hear every beat of her heart.

"Ohhh god..." he cringed to himself as he brought his hand up to his face to wipe the tears from his eyes.

He leaned over and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb as more tears welled up in his eyes. His dream felt undeniably real, and it only made him realize, even more, how important this little girl was to him. The testament he made to himself, back in the country home in Colorado as he watched her sleep, shot to the forefront of his mind once more. Nothing was going to rip her away from him. Absolutely, nothing. Even if it meant damning the rest of humanity.

He leaned over and gave her a long, passionate kiss on the forehead as he closed his eyes, praying his nightmare would never, ever, come to fruition.

Adrenaline, the body's most powerful and natural diuretic, coursed through his veins as a symptom of his nightmare. He carefully pulled away from Ellie and lifted himself off the bed.

"I won't be long, I promise," he whispered as he backed into the hallway.

* * *

Ellie slowly opened her eyes. She tried to bring her hand to her face to wipe them, but couldn't. She glanced upwards and noticed her arms were chained above her head. She frantically looked down and noticed her feet were chained to the ground as well. She couldn't move, she was trapped. Panic filled every inch of her body. She squirmed and shook her limbs trying to break free, but it was to no avail. She was alone, lying in a helpless position and trapped in a dark, pitch black room. The only thing she could see was a faint light, far in front of her, that appeared to be an illuminated man's face.

"Where - who are you!?" she spat as she lifted her head, staring at the illuminated face off in the distance.

It gave no response and simply stared back at her.

All of a sudden, her eyelids began to feel heavy and she yearned to close them. She tried to force them open, but couldn't do it. They slowly pressed themselves together and what only felt like a second went by. Then, she opened them again, only to see the illuminated face had moved closer.

"Don't fucking come near me!" she yelled, now frightened from the glowing image that was more visible than before.

Again, her eyelids burned with tiredness and screamed at her to shut them, but she wouldn't dare. She put every ounce of energy she had into keeping them open, to stare down her oncoming predator. It was no use and they pushed themselves shut once more.

Another fleeting moment of time passed and they popped back open.

The illuminated face had gotten even closer, she could now clearly see what it was. It was David, but only his face, the rest of his body was shrouded by the darkness.

"No! No! I - I fucking killed you! Get the fuck away from me!" she screamed in terror as her eyes began to swell with tears.

Her eyelids burned once again and yearned to be closed. She could feel them shutting and was powerless to stop them. She knew what would transpire if she closed them, but she couldn't keep it from happening and began to uncontrollably cry in fear.

Her eyes shut, then immediately popped open.

David's floating head was now mere feet away and tears profusely streamed down her cheeks. She screamed and cried for help.

"Joel! No - Joel! Where are you! Joel! Help! Please! Please! Joel!" she pleaded as she squirmed and shook her head, trying one last time to break free from her bonds.

Joel was nowhere to be found, the only other presence in this giant, pitch black space was David.

David's floating face leaned down and licked the inside of her ear.

She pulled her head away and her crying intensified to horrific sobs. She was powerless, trapped, hopeless and utterly alone. She felt his hands grab her hips and gazed in horror at his red, sickening eyes as she felt every bit of her soul get sucked away.

* * *

Ellie's eyes fluttered open. Her heart was racing and she felt extremely hot under the blanket coupled with the intense adrenaline that was pumping through her. Her pillow was sopping wet from sweat off the back of her neck and she frantically looked around the room, assuring herself it was just a nightmare. She immediately reached over to grab Joel and snuggle tightly into his arms. She yearned to be back in her domain, the safest place in the world, her father's embrace. It was the only place that warded off nightmares such as these.

He wasn't there. She shot up to a sitting position, panicked at her realization. The imprint of his torso marred the sheets, but he was nowhere to be found. Her mind jumped straight to the worst imaginable, a product of her horrific nightmare. He left her. She really never was his daughter. He abandoned her just before the end, before he might of had to say goodbye. He was gone and she was despairingly alone. The only thing she could hear was the wind rustling through the trees outside.

She brought her hands to her face and began to uncontrollably sob. She made no attempt to hold back her emotion nor the heartbreaking sounds she made during each sob. Tears poured from her eyes and onto the blanket below her.

Her worst fear had come to fruition. She was hopelessly alone.

* * *

Joel stepped out of the bathroom, then heard the most heartbreaking sound. He only heard anything like it once in his entire life, and it was when Sarah had her worst nightmare. He remembered immediately springing from his bed, sprinting down the hallway to find her quivering from all consuming fear.

"Oh shit, Ellie!" he said to himself in a whisper.

He ran down the hallway and into the bedroom. There she was, sitting among the blanket and sheets with her face buried in her hands. The sound of each sob was so painful, so distraught, it took years off his life each time he heard her cry.

"Ellie - baby! What happened!? I - I was only gone for a minute!" he said with care in his voice as he rushed over.

She turned her head to see him, her father, her rock, her foundation running straight for her. The biggest sense of relief washed over her and she hastily crawled into his arms as he sat himself back onto the bed. She buried her face into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Shh - shh... it's okay... it's okay now. I'm here," he whispered into her ear.

Ellie pressed herself against his torso, once again trying to get closer and closer to him. He rubbed the back of her shoulders as he soothed her.

"Shh - shh... I gotcha baby girl, I gotcha. Bad dream?" he asked, wiping a tear from her cheek in the process.

She simply nodded in response as Joel could feel her nose move up and down against his shirt. He brought a hand to the back of her head and he closed his eyes, vividly remembering the horrible dream of his own. Ellie closed her eyes and felt her body melt in his embrace. She was safe, nothing could harm her here. She let out a deep exhale, relieved to know he didn't leave her. Deep down she knew he never would, but her constant, nagging, subconscious fear refused to let go. A few minutes went by and Ellie's crying faded as her breathing returned to normal.

"I... I thought you actually left me. I thought I was alone... for good," she slowly said, lifting her head up.

He gently grabbed both sides of her head with his hands. "Oh baby girl... I - I told you, I promised you, I'm never leavin' you, ever."

"But - but you just did..." she said as her weeping eyes pierced through him.

"Oh honey... I..." He stopped, then the slightest of smiles actually cracked over his face. "I had to take a leak, I wasn't goin' anywhere!"

Ellie managed to let out a small laugh through her sniffles, happy his smile and comedic comment eased the severity of the moment.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked, lifting her chin with his index finger.

She nodded, then followed her concurrence with a statement of her own. "On one condition."

"Anything," Joel said.

"Swear to me - swear to me you won't let go," she said, wiggling herself around in his embrace to her liking, just like when he held her back in Steamboat Springs.

"I swear."

He clutched her tight and felt the back of her pony tail tickle the base of his neck as she rested her head against his chest. She intertwined her fingers with his as she pulled his hands closer. He slowly rocked her back and forth until her eyes finally closed and she drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

The thought of tomorrow crept its way to the front of his mind. The unknown, the what-ifs and the knowledge that everything was about to change, sent a ripple of ice-cold fear down his spine.


	16. Chapter 16

Joel was sitting up, leaning against the headboard with Ellie snuggled in his arms. She made him swear to not let go and insisted on sleeping in their current position after her nightmare. He lied awake far too long, after she fell asleep, worrying about what the next day would bring. He was exhausted, and this time, he was the one who wanted to sleep in, but he felt Ellie shifting in his lap as she awoke from her slumber. Regardless, he kept his eyes closed and pretended not to notice as he prayed the weight of his eyelids would force him to doze off once again.

Ellie felt extremely well rested but was in a strange mood. On one hand she was still rather disturbed from her nightmare, but on the other she was excited, relieved and even nervous knowing that today would be the last day of their journey. She was rather shocked, that even despite her shifting, Joel didn't budge and appeared to remain asleep. She leaned her head back against his chest, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was anxious to start the day, but couldn't deny the comfort and joy she felt while sitting in her favorite spot in the world.

Eventually, the anxiety building within her was too much. She grabbed Joel's hand and slowly brought it to her mouth. She let out a playful growl as she gently bit his hand, careful not to puncture the skin, pretending to be an Infected.

"Rawwwrrr! Now you're like me!"

Joel could feel the delicate, playful bite of her teeth on his flesh. He remained motionless and pretended to still be asleep. Ellie, slightly annoyed with his lack of reaction, wiggled her way around to see his face and confirm if he was really still sleeping.

She observed his chest expanding up and down with each breath and saw his mouth hanging open as he lightly snored. She stuck out her finger and slowly extended it towards his shoulder as she attempted to poke him awake.

"Joel..." she said.

All of a sudden his eyes snapped open and he let out a loud growl. He grabbed her with both of his hands and pulled her close.

"Rawwwrrr!" he bellowed deep from his lungs.

He pretended to gnaw on her hair in a playful manner, causing her to let out a squeal.

"Ahhhh!" she yelped, trying to squirm away. He was latched on, there was no escape.

"Gotcha kiddo! You're not goin' anywhere!" he said with a laugh.

Ellie ceased her squirming and let her body relax into his tightening grasp.

"Psshh - whatever... I could escape if I want to," she said with a smirk, looking up at him with her disheveled hair.

"Oh really? That a fact?" he asked skeptically with another laugh.

"Hell yeah - I just... chose not to," she replied with a smile. "I... I like it here."

Joel smiled in return and felt a tickle of warmth in regards to her last statement.

Out of nowhere, a strange feeling hit Ellie right in the gut. It was the same feeling that struck her when she saved Joel's life during the epic brawl with the Infected in that large, empty parking lot. However, it remained a feeling she had yet to become familiar with and this was one of her few times experiencing it. She knew how attached she was to him, she knew he became her father and she knew he loved her as his own.

However, did she really love him, as her father? She couldn't tell, and although the intensity of her feelings were at an all time high when she saved his life, she couldn't swear whether it was love or not. Was she ready to let herself feel that way about someone? After all, everyone she'd even remotely cared about had either died or left her, ripping away a chunk of her heart each time and leaving nothing but a cold, empty void. Could she stand the thought of losing her father, losing someone she _loved, _again? The feeling was still relatively new and filled her stomach with butterflies but scared her at the same time. She remembered feeling something like it for Riley, but this was an entirely different kind of love.

Riley's fateful words once again furiously ran through her mind. _We fight for every second we get to spend with each other. Whether it's two minutes, or two days. We don't give that up._

Was she finally experiencing what a child feels for its father? The sense of attachment, the desire for affection and nurturing, the need for his approval and the yearning for his undying devotion all pointed towards yes, but she couldn't accept it, not yet. She accepted he was her father and that he would never leave her, but did she really love him as such? What if, at the end of today, for some reason, she would have to say goodbye to him, forever? Her stomach churned at the mere thought and her smile immediately waned from her face.

Joel noticed the change in her expression. "Uhh... you alright there Ellie?" he asked, affectionately rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

She reached up and grabbed his hand. "Yeah - yeah I'm fine. You ready to do this?"

"I reckon ready as I'll ever be."

Ellie pulled away and hopped off the bed to put on her shoes. Joel stretched his muscles awake and let out a deep yawn, still tired from his restless sleep.

"Let's pack up and get goin'," he said, swinging his legs off the edge of the bed.

Ellie simply nodded in response and began packing her things. She continued to think about the sudden feeling that just hit her. She remembered Joel saying he always went with his gut, way back when she was still recuperating in the basement. Though it was in the context of sports, she couldn't help but feel as if there was extra weight beneath his words. Her gut, her heart, was telling her something, but it was so unfamiliar, her brain had trouble processing what it really meant. She thought about everything they endured together. However, hunters, bandits, hordes of Infected, sexual assault, death, cannibals and countless other ailments that could have cut their journey short at any moment didn't keep her from thinking about the good they experienced. She remembered when he leaned into the window of the truck and told her she was doing a good job, his playful attitude when she revealed her stolen items from Bill's, the eventual trust he put in her when handing her a rifle for the first time, the jokes they shared, his stories about the world before the outbreak, surprising him with coffee in the morning and, of course, the painful conversation they shared in the ranch house. Despite the temporary emotional damage it laid into her, it brought to light, to both of them, what their relationship had become. It made him realize what she was to him, and, what he was to her.

A slight smile returned to her mouth as she nostalgically reminisced on her fond memories. Yet, still, a sense of worry and apprehension filled her. The unknown of today and this uneasy, new feeling that filled her caused her mood to slowly drain. The silence in the room as they packed was bearing down on her and she craved a distraction for her mind.

"Hey Joel - " she started.

"Yep," he responded, still hunched over, shoving his items into his pack.

She stood and placed her hands on her hips. "Do you know why diarrhea is hereditary?" she asked with a leading and joking tone.

Joel snickered and turned to face her. "Alright, let's hear it... c'mon, spit it out."

"Because it runs in your genes!"

Joel's face gave way to a large smile. "Wow... reckon ya can't deny its truth though," he said with a big laugh. "Good one."

Ellie beamed with satisfaction, proud she pulled a laugh out of him. She thought the humor would help her mood stay afloat, but it still slowly sunk towards somber with each passing second. She was getting lost in her head and the pressure, the weight, and the gravity of what today brought only made it worse. She was anxious and excited to get there, to finish the mission, to fulfill her _purpose_, but an eerie feeling scratched at her subconscious. Something was bound to go wrong, their luck had to run out at some point, she just knew it.

* * *

The two of them strolled down the highway and ventured into the city limits. Joel was reading every sign he saw, anxious when it came to finding the one that would lead them off and onto the homestretch of their quest. The smallest part of him wanted to grab Ellie by the hand and turn around to head back to Jackson, but he knew she'd resist. This was her burden, her purpose, and he knew she was intent on seeing it to completion. Regardless, the daunting unknown and finality of the situation kept his mind uneasy. He could sense the quiet mood of Ellie and that only made him even more unsettled. He tried to spark conversation to ease his worry.

"Ya know... you did a hell of a job stichin' me up. They fell out awhile ago, all I got left is this uhh... scar here but I reckon you did a better job than most. How those ribs treatin' ya?"

Ellie, still swimming among her thoughts, simply stared at the ground in front of her as she mindlessly marched each foot forward.

"Ellie?" Joel asked, tapping her on the shoulder.

Her neck twitched and she turned towards him as if he caught her by surprise, pulling her out of her pensive state.

"Oh... sorry... I - "

"No it's...It's fine. Was just sayin' the stitchin' job you did was damn good."

Ellie tried to force a smile. "Thanks - I'm sort of an expert... ish."

Joel snickered. "And your ribs?"

"Fine... stopped hurting awhile ago."

Her terse responses were unusual and it bothered him, though he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"Good, glad to hear it."

Ellie could sense he was trying to initiate conversation in an attempt to ease the uncertainty and worry that was building for both of them. Her intuition was incredibly strong and was always one of her most valuable assets. She too, wanted the conversation to keep flowing in order to hold the current situation in a state of normalcy.

"Joel - "

He was relieved to hear her say his name without provocation, she had been abnormally quiet since her earlier joke from the morning.

"Yep?"

"Tell me a story... about something - something before everything went to shit."

Joel's pace slowed and he scratched his beard, pondering her request. He glanced to the right and noticed the exit signs were appearing more frequently.

"Hmm..." he let out.

His mind was focused elsewhere and he came up empty handed.

"Man... I - I can't really think of... Anything in particular?"

Ellie shrugged. "I dunno... tell me something about Sarah." The words escaped her lips without thinking and she worried what affect they might have on him.

Joel ran his hand through his hair then cracked his knuckles. "Alright... let's see..."

His non-volatile response eased her worry.

"One of her birthdays... we had Tommy over and all of her friends. I reckon it was uhh... her eleventh I think." He cleared his throat.

"Tommy and I manned the grill - we cooked up a bunch of stuff... she always loved that. Funny when Henry said he remembered the smell of his barbecues more than anything... I reckon he's right - I mean, 'side from Sarah, I do the same to be honest."

"Yeah?"

"Yes ma'am... hell, back then scientists always said smell had the strongest tie to memory - or somethin' like that. Can't say I doubt 'em."

"Huh, no shit... yeah... I guess I can agree with that." Ellie said, acknowledging the fact that some of her fondest memories were always triggered by his usual scent.

"Yep - anyway we were grillin' some burgers and hot wings. I reckon most of her friends weren't big fans of the wings but she sure as hell was - so were Tommy and I."

"What the fuck are hot wings?" she stammered.

Joel laughed, again reminded of Ellie's adorable ignorance and naivety. Aside from that, she was absurdly clever and sharp as an arrow for her age. Her intuition always amazed him, but it was her few imperfections that made her human, and he adored them.

The Salt Lake City skyline was now clearly in view and Joel knew their off-ramp was proximate.

"Well - their uhh... chicken wings, usually grilled and then doused in some sort of sauce. The sauce can be pretty hot... I like 'em hot anyway, others like em milder."

"Psshh - I could eat the hot ones no problem," Ellie stated with her usual confidence.

"I reckon you could've kiddo." After all, aside from himself, she was the toughest person he knew.

Ellie then noticed a strange carving in the wall off to her left and immediately went silent.

She couldn't help but approach the enlarged hieroglyph, and Joel's voice became an after thought in the back of her mind. The carving had her entranced. It was a buck, and it reminded her of her nightmare and all the horrors she endured during winter. A deathly chill crawled through her veins as an unsettling shiver crept down her spine.

Joel gazed forward as he continued with his story, not noticing Ellie peel away. Then, he saw it. There it was, the sign for the hospital. This was their stop. His stomach churned and the image of Marlene's eyes from his nightmare stormed into his thoughts. He took a deep breath and tried to mentally prepare himself for what could transpire during the rest of the day.

"Well - this is it. This is our - " He glanced to his left and saw Ellie missing from his side. His eyes darted to her small figure off in the distance, staring at the carving in the wall.

"Ellie!"

She didn't acknowledge him and remained focused on her discovery.

"Ellie!"

She finally turned around.

"Did you hear me!?"

"No. What?"

* * *

**AN: Well, here we are. It has been quite a strange month for me, though I enjoyed every second of writing this. I played through the game again last week and was amazed at how much of an affect it still had on me. Funny how certain things, or experiences, or whatever, can have such an impact on you in the most unpredictable way imaginable. If you had told me three months ago that I would write a sixteen chapter piece of fiction, I would have laughed. But, that being said, this game changed me, it really did. I know others feel the same way. Writing this was extremely cathartic and it allowed me to express what I was thinking in a semi-concrete manner, which was great. One of the things I noticed, probably in the middle of the Pittsburgh chapter, was that despite what the plot summary says on the cover, that's not really what this game is about. It was clear that the game became much more about the relationship that develops between Joel and Ellie, and I would even argue, the relationship that develops between the _player _and Ellie, as weird as that may sound. At a point in my life where my wife and I are seriously considering having children, this game really hit home for me, in almost a disturbingly accurate way. The ending left me feeling sad, to be honest, but god dammit I respect Naughty Dog for it. It was bold, beautiful and said so much by saying so little. The questions of morality, the definition of what is right and wrong, the unbreakable bond that forms between father and child were simply placed right in the open for each player to internalize in their own unique way. I think it's part of the reason the game lingers with people for so long once completing it.**

**One of the things I loved was the development of both characters, Joel and Ellie, and Ellie in particular. They made her a very, very strong character. They didn't make her weak, or the "damsel in distress" type. She was wise beyond her years and even formed a sense of parental protection for Joel, despite her age. I absolutely loved the moments in the game where if you were grabbed by a hunter, she would leap on his back and stab him to save you, just awesome. That being said, I really, really liked the juxtaposition of her strength against her vulnerabilities. The cut scene after she kills David, when Joel finds her, was unreal. I'm not afraid to admit, this was the first game I've ever played that actually made me cry. That moment in the game, was one of three that did. Most importantly, Naughty Dog did a phenomenal job at making these two characters seem one-hundred percent _human_. They weren't super heroes, they weren't some supernatural beings, they weren't perfect, they both had their demons and faults, but that is what makes them, and us, fundamentally human and, in the end is what makes Joel and Ellie so lovable. As such, I tried my absolute best to keep both of them in character. That, in my opinion, was the single most important rule I had to abide by while writing this. However, one still needs to grow the characters to allow the story to develop, but I had to make sure I did it in a way that made sense in the already established context. I may not have been perfect, and if I wasn't I hope you don't hold it against me grudgingly, but I also hope you felt I did a good job there. It really was something I made a conscious effort to ensure and I tried my best.**

**Anyway, thank you so much everyone for reading and extra thanks to all reviewers, positive and negative alike. I know some of you harped on the speech pattern I gave Joel early on, and I really tried to make a conscious effort to change that as the story developed. I hope I improved on that part. The more I think about it, the more I want to write a Their Purpose 2, picking up right when the game ends like I said in my previous author's note. It will be nice to not be bound by the story arc that one has to stick to in this here, having to end in Salt Lake City, during the right season etc... So, barring absolutely terrible feedback, or someone telling me I should never, ever write again, I think I will proceed with the second one. Again, thank you everyone for the wonderful feedback and I'm so glad lots of you enjoyed this. Thank you.**


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